Ichigo Complete
by JR Salazar
Summary: Strawberry Mashmallow story crossover with A Hard Day's Night. Guest starring characters from FLCL, Super GALS!, Kodomo no Omocha, Gintama, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.


ICHIGO COMPLETE

By Jo-Ryan Salazar

* * *

Saturday. The busiest day of the week. People were walking from one point to the next, going about here and there. Haneda Airport, tucked inside the urban jungle the world called Tokyo, Japan, was going to see a flood of humanity gather round in a few hours. One minute, two, three, and an hour passed before four elementary school girls, a college-age older sister of one of them who doubled as a caretaker for them, a ferret, a dog, and a little old woman would be running for their lives, as their taxi went 700 feet short of the entrance.

The people at the airport knew beforehand the mayhem that would ensue. Barriers were set to allow the group to get to ANA Charter Flight 276, nonstop to Naha, Okinawa, but the staff did not realize a mob of 10,000 fans would be there already. There was no doubt the crew at Narita would fail to contain the mob of people awaiting the group of women and animals entering for their flight. Everything was set. All they had to do was get in the plane, but they only had an hour to do it.

If an onlooker were to see the pack of people rushing and being chased, looks would definitely reveal that these people were more than just ordinary struggling students from Tokyo. One sported short twin tails with parted bangs. Another had a small ponytail parted of the right side. Another had brownish-gray hair, and wore glasses and a bucket hat. Yet another was blonde, and could pass for a foreigner. The twist on this person was that she actually lived a great deal of her life in her adopted country, in spite of keeping her Cornish roots. As for the other two, the younger had a short black coif, while the older, shorter one had a stereotypical hairstyle of a female elder of the household.

And all of them were being chased by crazed fans, mostly young men who frequented Akihabara like there was no tomorrow. They wanted a photo, hug them, tousle their hair…in short, they wanted to do everything to prevent them from getting to the plane because they knew they were going to leave.

Trouble for those fans was, their idols (and the old lady) were on borrowed time, and little time to kill at that.

Eventually, with 10 minutes to spare, they were able to get to their plane, and take their seats. The plane was the most luxurious of jumbo jets, complete with all the amenities of a luxury train, or any liner that the millionaires of the world would dream of. Basically, if they needed some room to stretch, they could. If they needed to walk around, they could. Every trick in the book was on that plane.

The fun would stop for a little bit, as a voice said after a few rings, "Thank you for flying All Nippon Airways. This is Charter Flight 276, which will be heading nonstop for Naha, Okinawa." A long line of fans would see the plane off, and they waved goodbye as the large albatross took off.

And for the onlookers, it was clear who these girls were. This was the band Ichigo Mashimaro, or Strawberry Marshmallow, one of the recent acts that crossed J-Pop and J-Rock with a hint of the British Invasion of the past, and fused them together to create a soothing, off-beat, poppy sound everyone could enjoy. That was their mission. And this week, they were preparing to play at a special concert in Okinawa that would be televised all over Asia. The first step was for them to get there.

For Miu Matsuoka, the girl with the brown twin tails, she was the first to ask questions, and the first to roast others on a limb. Playing rhythm guitar and piano, Miu was able to easily find a musical niche as if it were in the back of her head, waiting to be exposed. But when she asked the wrong questions, or made a backstabbing statement to anyone, anywhere, anytime, Miu would taste the floor, face down. Her fans loved seeing her on the floor, more than seeing her as a skilled singer and songwriter. The mere fact irked her, but she was indifferent to it.

"Chika," she said to the girl with the small ponytail, "Excuse me for asking, but who's that little old woman?"

"Huh?" was her reply. "What little old woman?"

She pointed. "That little old woman."

"Oh? That me and my sister's grandmother."

"Your grandmother?" the blonde girl asked.

"Yeah, Ana."

"That's not your grandmother."

"It is, you know."

She begged the question. "But isn't your grandmother dead?"

"That was my other one, but this one is my grandma as well."

"How would you be so sure, Chika?" asked Miu.

"Everyone is entitled to two, and this is my other one."

She scowled. "We know that, but what is she doing here?"

"Sis said that the trip would be good for her."

"Why?"

"She's nursing a lonely heart."

"Ah, you poor thing," said Miu. She said to the old lady, "Ma'am, are you nursing a lonely heart?"

She slowly nodded.

"She's a nice old lady, isn't she?" she said aside to Chika.

"She's a bit dirty."

"A bit?" She then moved to an empty seat next to the old lady. "Konnichi wa, obaa-chan!"

"Konnichi wa."

"Amazing. She can talk," said Miu with amazement.

"Of course, Miu," she replied indignantly. "She IS a human being, you know."

"But if she's your grandmother," the girl with the glasses and the ferret said, "who knows?" She laughed at the thought.

"Matsuri!" exclaimed Ana in disgust. "That's not nice."

"Oh. Gomen ne."

"So we're looking after her, are we?" asked Miu to the group.

"I'll look after myself," the old lady said.

'And that's what I'm afraid of!" said Chika, who started to groom herself.

"So, she's got you worried, huh?" Miu said with a look of boredom.

"A villain, a real confuser, and she costs you are hatful of yen in promise cases."

"Yeah right," Ana said.

"No, for real!"

A few seconds later, the dog that came with them jumped into Chika's lap. For some odd reason, he could speak in human languages. "Hello."

"Yaho, Satake," said the girls.

"Did you guys get on all right?"

"Not exactly," Miu said. When she opened the window to see clouds below her, she squealed, "Wow, I feel like flying."

"We ARE flying," said Chika.

"Oh."

"Well, we're here," Satake said. "Nobue will be here in a minute with the tickets." He caught a peek at an unfamiliar face. "Hey, who the little old lady?"

"Chika and Nobue's grandfather," said Ana.

"But I thought…"

"No, their other one," Miu said indignantly.

"I see."

"She looks a bit dirty, doesn't she?"

"Oh yeah," he said, nodding his head. "A bit dirty."

"Morning, kids." A tall girl with the black coif walked in with a relaxed look on her face. It was their caretaker and band manager, Nobue Itoh, and she had her hands on her hips.

"Morning, Nobue," the four girls said.

"Thank God all of you are here." She then began her lengthy debriefing. "Now, look, I just had a wonderful idea. For just one week, let's try to behave like ordinary, respectable Japanese citizens. Let's not do God-knows-what to God-knows-who in God-knows-where, acts like spoiled brats or anything like that, especially at the convention center, because…"

At this point, everyone was reading fashion magazines, except for Miu, who was blowing bubbles from a pipe. That caught Nobue's attention without a second look. "Miu, are you listening to me?"

The twin tailed bubble-maker decided to change the subject unconvincingly. "You're an A-cup, isn't she, Ana?"

"I guess," she agreed, with a slight bit of hesitance. "An A-cup."

That had her fired up a bit. "No, I'm a size D!" Grandma then cleared her throat causing her to blush even more, and let out a scream.

"Who's that little old lady?" the four said in unison.

"Hmmm," she said, scratching her head. Drinking 4 beers in the middle of the night the day before the flight is asking for a brain drain. "I forgot who she was…"

"It's grandma, big sis," Chika said.

"Oh, that's right. I decided to let her join us because she was nursing a lonely heart."

"Well, at least you remembered that one," the old lady said with a chuckle.

"Look guys, I'm going to go down to the dining room to sip some green tea. Are any of you coming?"

"We'll follow you down," said Chika.

"I would like some tea," said Grandma, standing up.

"Sure," Nobue said, "You can come with me and Satake, if you like."

"Look after her, big sis," Chika said, "but I don't want to find that you've lost her."

Nobue pointed a finger centimeters from her little sister's head. "Don't be asinine, Chi. I never let you down then, and I won't now."

"Can you take you finger off my face?"

She let go with a chuckle. Referring to Grandma, she said, "A bit dirty, isn't she?" A slight kick in the shin smarted. "Sorry. Let's go, Grandma."

"See you later, young ladies," Grandma said, tipping her fedora and walking with the other two to the dining section of the plane, leaving the girls to read some more magazines provided by the flight crew. Miu meanwhile, idly watched the blue skies, and sighed.

Chika Itoh, who plays bass for the band, was one that had the most class because she conducted herself in a way that many businesspeople would conduct. Her dream job besides being a musician was to work for some Fortune 500 company or work in the medical fields. Chika wasn't sure where she would end up, but chances are, she had the potential to be in good company. Good, as in elite. That said, it would be a cinch for Chika to hit 1600 on an SAT, if she was able to take it. The sky was the limit, and she knew that.

Ana Coppola wouldn't be far off from where Chika was. Fluent in Japanese and more than half fluent in English, she was raised in Cornwall, on the southern tip of England. While this was the poorest and least-productive county in that country, her family was one of the elite clans in Cornwall. However, Ana's parents wanted to live in Japan as an escape from staying in England. As a result, when she was 6, and barely learning English, Ana was able to grasp Japanese to the point of fluency.

When she was with Strawberry Marshmallow, she tried to pretend that she didn't know the language. Turns out, they realized her fluency, and let her in. She did have a hard time with Miu, after she revealed that in kanji form, her name meant "A hole of bones in a cave." And Miu would share it to everyone at school, and eventually pay the price. From that point, Miu and Ana would be good friends again.

Matsuri Sakuragi was a neighborhood person. The drummer of the band, Matsuri was timid and shy at first, and introverted, but eventually had the confidence to make her own contributions. Her ferret, John, was a gift her parents gave her a few years ago, and he is still frisky and wandering about at times. It was like her Visa, she never left home without John. It was as if John was part of her soul. Matsuri loved traveling, and on frequent occasion would escape from the Tokyo concrete jungle to view the countryside with her uncle and other relatives of the Sakuragi clan to visit.

Matsuri could arguably considered one of the more photogenic members of the four, with her glasses, her grayish brown hair, John, and the fact that on occasions, she would wear cat ears, a bell, and a tail, while speaking with a "nya" accent. Heck, Matsuri was a photo gem when she had a distraught look on her face. She would make boys' hearts melt like butter. That was Matsuri. In the future, she would cosplay as Mina from the anime OVA Getsumen To Heiki Mina, but that is a different story altogether.

As Grandma, Nobue, and Satake made their way past, a middle-aged businessman with sunglasses and a suitcase passed by. "Make up your minds, will you?" he said impatiently. He then entered the quarters of where the four were seating. Finding a spot, he picked up a copy of the Wall Street Journal, Japanese Edition, to read.

"Ohayo," Chika and Matsuri said to the man, who didn't pay attention.

He did see the window open, and closed it down to not see the sky.

Matsuri was confused, "…are?"

"Sir," said Chika, "do you mind if we have the window open?"

"Yes, I do," he said.

Miu barged in, "But there are four of us, and we would like if open, not if it's all the same to you, you know."

"Well," the man said, "it isn't. You see, ladies, I travel on this plane regularly, twice a week, so I suppose I have some rights."

"Yeah," said Matsuri, "but so have we, sir!"

His ignorance got the best of him as he continued to read the Wall Street Journal. With a sigh, Matsuri switched on a portable radio she bought at a junk store for 2000 yen. A Eurobeat track played. It was Franz Tornado and his Velfarre shenanigans. Tasty.

Putting down his paper, he turned off Matsuri's radio. "And we'll have that thing off as well, thank you."

"D…demo," Matsuri cried.

"An elementary knowledge of the Airplane Acts will tell you I'm perfectly within my rights."

Ana and Matsuri had angry looks on their faces.

Chika said, "Yeah, but want to hear it, and there's more us that you. We're a community, a people power vote. Global Youth Love Generation and all that stuff!"

"Then I suggest you take that thing to the back, or some other part of the plane, where you obviously belong."

Miu leaned over. "Kiss me!"

Crossing her arms, Chika reiterated, "Look, sir, we paid for our seats too, you know."

"I travel on this plane regularly," said the old man, "twice a week."

Some reverse psychology was in order from Miu. "Oh Chika, just shut up. You'll never win with his crap. After all, it's HIS plane, isn't it, sir?"

"And don't take that tone with me, young lady," he said. With national pride blooming in, he said, "My father fought the war for your sort." By war, he meant World War II.

Matsuri said, "I bet you're sorry he lost."

Ana added, "And committed seppuku in the process." The truth came out.

"I shall call the stewardess!" he said in a loud tone.

"Ah, but what for?" asked Miu. "They don't take kindly to insults too, you know." Rising out of her said she said, "Guys, let's have some tea with Nobue and leave this den to Oyaji." They agreed and left.

The man was about to read the Wall Street Journal, when Miu yelled, "Oi, Oyaji, can you buy some Petit Cheese?" The four were making some ugly faces before heading out. By the way, Petit Cheese was one of Miu's favorite cheese spreads, although it wasn't completely made of cheese.

He then went back to reading his paper, but then decided to open the window. Outside was a surreal shot of the four flying, all of them hollering for the old man to buy some Petit Cheese. Closing the window, he spent the rest of the trip reading the Wall Street Journal in peace.

Miu, Ana, and Chika would carry Matsuri to the dining area, as she fainted a while ago. For the tree of them, she was a bit heavy. Seems they should put more protein in their diets.

"Oi, Satake, you want to watch it," said Nobue, sipping cup of Benoist green tea with an angry look on her face.

"But it's not my fault," he said.

"You stick your story, you."

"I can't help it; I'm just shorter than you are."

"Humph," said Grandma, "They always say that."

"I got my eye on you, you know," continue Nobue, sipping another cup of tea.

"Gomen ne, Nobue, but I can't help being shorter than you."

"Quit embarrassing me, then. I've a good mind to kick you, Satake!"

"Hey both of you," Miu said with the other three coming in, "if you are going to order some liquor and get faded, at least let me hold your coats."

"He started it," Nobue said.

"Chigau!" Satake said. "You did!"

"Okay," Ana mediated. "What happened?"

"Nobue…she wanted to kick me, because I wanted the photos, and…"

"And?" asked Chika.

"Grandma pointed out that I was taller that Satake just to embarrass me," added Nobue, drinking from the teapot.

"I knew it, she started it. I should have known this would happen."

In a bored look, she said, "Enlighten me."

"You and Satake have never argued in your life, and before you know it, you're at it. Grandma is a confuser. She doesn't believe in team, and she is obsessed with the Storming phase of collaboration, so she wants everything to be dysfunctional."

"Well, Nobue," suggested Ana, "how about just giving Grandma the photos already?"

"Whatever," Nobue conceded, handing the stack to Grandma. "Here you go."

"Chika, how about signing one of these for us?" she asked with a chuckle.

"Hai." Taking a Sharpie, she went to work.

"Satake, let's go," Nobue said, as the two of them went back to their seats on the plane.

Ana caught a glance of some young male tourists from France, eating baguettes with coffee. "Wow, look at those hunks. They're hot."

"Let's make a play towards them," Miu said.

"May I do the honors?" asked Chika.

"Sure, but don't rush it," Ana advised. "None of your dainty Lolita complex moves or moves that suggest things that are green."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked with her hands on her hips and a scowl.

"Gomen ne, but I thought it sounded unique, didn't it?"

Miu said, "Ana Coppola: Hole + Bones + Cave Uniqueness of a Tokyoite." She would taste the floor for the first time in this story.

"Quit making fun of my last name, you!" she shouted.

Walking over and bowing, Chika said in a geisha-like voice, "Excuse my intrusion, gentlemen, but these young ladies I'm sitting with wondered if two of us and come over and join you. I would ask you myself, but I'm shy." She bowed with a blush.

Grandma interrupted. "I'm sorry, young men, but you cannot fraternize with my prisoners."

"Eh? Prisoners?" said one of the French tourists in a Parisian accent that Chef Claude of Tabasco fame would drool at.

"Convicts in transit, typical young kids heading to juvenile hall," she added.

"NANI?" exclaimed the four girls in shock.

"Dedake! Get out you young rascals, get out while you can!" she said. The two of them went off to sit somewhere else in the plane. The girls just stood there in disgust.

Lighting up a Mild Even, Nobue said, "She's been gone a long time, Satake."

He was sleeping. "Who?"

"Grandma."

He woke up. "I didn't notice, where'd she go?"

"Down the…um…"

"Oh, down the…um…?"

"Hai, down the…um…"

"Okay, let's give the old lady a few minutes then." Nobue continued working on her Mild Even, while Satake relaxed, curled up in boredom.

And a few minutes later…

"Oi, have you seen Grandma?" Nobue said to the other four who coincidentally met near the women's lavatory.

"I think she's trying to steal someone's identity," Miu said. Chika punched her in the face.

"Nah, she must have slipped off somewhere."

"Have you lost her?" asked Chika with fear.

"Don't exaggerate…"

"You've lost her!" she said with alarm.

Satake said, "Put it this way, Chi-chan…uh, she's misplaced her."

"Honest, big sis," said Chika, "I can never trust you with anything. If you've lost her, I'm knocking you off this plane to your death!"

"Just try," Nobue said with a growl.

"No fighting ladies," Satake said. "She can't be far."

"Let's do a search," said Miu. They dispersed, and the quest to find Grandma Itoh was underway.

Ana found Matsuri playing with John in a corner. "What's the matter, Matsuri?"

"It's Grandma," she said. "She doesn't like me. It's because I'm shy."

"You're got an introverted personality complex, you know."

"That's why I play drums. It lets out my true feeling for somebody." Ana nodded.

And so the two of them looked together for Grandma, following Chika and Miu. Matsuri saw in one of the seats a rich young man of 12 or 13 years age, looking like a movie star from Hollywood. However, he was from Bermuda, but was a son of the wealthiest family from the Island. He came to Japan on business. Lowering his sunglasses, he had a look of affection for Matsuri, who blushed, and giggled.

"Are you going in to introduce yourself to him?" Ana asked.

"No, he's going to reject me in the end and I'll be tormented for life."

"You never know, you might actually get a relationship with guys like him."

"Yeah, but I know how relationships go. My family watches the gossip with every musician, and celebrity. In fact, my dad is friends with everyone in the entertainment business, as well as some members of the Yakuza, so he tells me how things go."

"Ohh." Matsuri blew a kiss to the boy, who blew on back. As the two went on, Ana gave him a seductive wink and blush that caused a river of blood to gush out of his nose, staining his outfit.

Chika and Miu walked into a quarter of the plane that had the French boys and a few other tourists from the US. "Excuse our intrusion," Chika said, "but have you seen that little old lady we were with?"

Miu barged right in and started a little striptease. "We've broken out, oh, the blessed release of it al! Can you take these clothes off me; I'm a bit too hot." The boys' noses were also bleeding profusely.

Dragging a nearly-half-naked Miu, Chika said, "Sorry for disturbing you guys."  
Miu then said in her Ana impersonation, "I bet you can guess what I was in for, ohohohoho!"

More blood came out of the guys' noses as the two left. Their clothes were stained with sexual frustration. But they were young, oh how young they were.

There was one compartment of the plane the four forgot to look in. And Chika said to the others, "Should we go look in here?"

"Don't bother, Chika," said Miu. "It's probably a honeymoon couple, or a corporation affair/scandal in the making."

"Well, here goes nothing." Sliding open the curtains, her jaw dropped.

"Omedetou, minna," said Grandma. "I'm engaged." She was holding hands with a man of her age, who came from Hakodate to visit Okinawa.

Chika said, "I don't think so…"

So Grandma was stuck in the back of the plane, behind a screen fence, while the oth3er four kept watch. "And to think my youngest granddaughter would let them put me behind bars!" she said with a bitter tone.

"Don't pull off that NHK drama crap," Chika said. "Face it, you're still lucky that you're on this plane. If the flight crew had their way, they would have had to make an emergency stop at Osaka to get rid of you anyway." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Well, you've got to admit, you really piss of a lit of people, especially me and Big Sis. At least now I can keep my eye on you while you're still here." Opening the fence, she said, "Come on."

Taking a 100-yen coin, Grandma said, "Chika, heads or tails?"

"Heads."

"Don't worry, Grandma," said Miu. "We'll dismiss this as part of the plot that will be part of a movie that people are filming in this plane and other places, to be exact, and then it's going to win some type of award, or be nominated for one."

Chika laughed bitterly, "Oh, so now it's a breaking-the-fourth-wall workshop with Matsuoka-sensei." Pointing to Ana, she said, "Anyway, it's your fault."

"Huh?" asked Ana. "Why me?"

"Why not you, Coppola?" confirmed Miu in a sleazebag tone. She tasted the floor again.

"Quit making fun of my name!" she exclaimed.

Satake walked in, and jumped into Miu's lap. "This is place is a depressing...hole, isn't it?" Petting him, she added, "See, people here think about dogs more than themselves in Japan. But you'd expect something more welcoming towards humanity." With a sigh, she said, "Let's do something, guys."

"What should we do?" asked Chika.

She held a small container of card. "I have here a pack of cards, but I don't know what to do with them."

"Oh, that gives me an idea," asked Grandma. "Have you ladies heard of Texas Hold 'Em?"

"Texas…Hold 'Em?" asked the girls.

"Yes, it's this poker game that you use with cards, a table, and these." Grandma took out a large box of poker chips.

"Whoa!" Matsuri said. "Where'd you get that?"

"Las Vegas, 1983, while the Dunes casino was still alive. I had won 20,000,000 yen in a poker tournament, and some of that money is in these chips."

"Lucky rich bastard," thought Miu.

"So, you guys want to play?" Grandma asked, taking the stack of cards.

"Yeah!" they said.

"Let's go."

And for about an hour, the four girls, Grandma (who was the dealer in this one), Satake, John, and several onlookers, including the tourists they ran into, watched intently. To the old lady's amazement, they grasped the basics of how to play Texas Hold 'Em. And they were only 11 or 12 years of age!

Of the four contestants in this little impromptu Strawberry Marshmallow Poker Invitational Tournament, Matsuri seemed to be in control, at least later in the game. At the beginning, Chika and Miu were putting more in the pot, but eventually, Matsuri knew when to make a move, or when to bluff. Ana simply was left in the dust, and was reduced to an onlooker, examining a spare poker chip or two.

"Looks like Matsuri's riding the tsunami to the Promised Land," said Miu.

"Jackpot," said Matsuri, getting all the poker chips, which she placed in her bag.

"Poker chips won't buy you happiness, noble daughter," she replied.

"Eh? For real?"

"Mmm-hmmmm."

"Just keep the chips, Matsuri," Grandma said. "It's your reward for winning the tournament."

"Eh? Arigato." She bowed.

A voice came on the intercom. "Attention all passengers, we will be arriving at Naha International Airport in 10 minutes. All passengers, remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop. Thank you."

After 10 minutes, the Intercom went again.

"Attention all passengers. This plane has arrived at Naha International Airport, on the island of Okinawa. Passengers, please gather all your personal belongings, and depart at the exits, to your left. Once again, thank you for flying ANA-All Nippon Airways!"

All the passengers left, except for a few.

"Guys," said Nobue to the girls, Grandma, and Satake (John hid in Matsuri's bag again). "Don't move, any of you. The place is surging with boys."

"Nobue," asked Miu, "can I have one to surge with, please?"

"No, you can't." Miu pouted. "Look, as soon as I tell you, run through the door, into the big bus that's waiting."

Miu nodded, saying, "Yare, yare."

As the group left the plane, a mob of 15,000 fans were waiting for them. They chased all of them past a car they went in and out of, and then into a bus that had their band logo, and their faces on it, with strawberry and marshmallow motifs painted on. As they got inside, Nobue signaled the driver to start up the engine and head toward their hotel, while the flight crew took their luggage and instruments to hand to the band's stage crew and staff from the Convention Center in Ginowan, as well as bellhops from the band's hotel.

Checking into the posh Busena Terrace Hotel in Nago, a 20-minute drive from Ginowan, the four girls, Grandma, Satake, and Nobue collapsed in their hotel room, relieved from a long trip. The latter then left to run an errand, as Ana and Matsuri watched some baseball, Chika played on a piano in the room, and Miu practiced walking on two hands, while Grandma read a random adult magazine usually reserved for young men. These books were full of models whose busts would rivals Nobue. "The lengths these young maidens go to taste wedlock," she mumbled, turning page after page before settling on a chapter that had some innocent fan service mixed in. Grandma let out a chuckle. "Well-illustrated, I must say."

"I don't fart," said Matsuri to Ana.

"You do,' she replied. "All the time!"

"Do I fart, Miu?"

"Not as much as me, but in the words of Wario Wario, you're such a stinker," she said, still walking on two feet.

"Well, that's your opinion. Do I fart, Chika?"

"With a water buffalo tooter like yours, it would be a UFO Discovery if you didn't," she replied.

"Um, no, Chika, do not mock the afflicted," Grandma said with authority, putting down the volume,

"Aw, grandma….it's only a joke."

"It may be a joke, Chika, but it is her bottom. She can't help having a monstrous tooter. And her frail body trembling under the weight of it. Oh, how I pity you Matsuri! I pity, you, I pity you, I pity you!" she said, hugging Matsuri tight.

"Heheh, arigato," she said, forcing a laugh. Miu looked on with suspicion, as Matsuri looked at her behind in the mirror.

At last Nobue came back, this time with a stack of mail that came in from fans all over Japan. "Oi, Chi, Miu, Ana, get over here." In slight protest, Chika played the ESPN SportCenter theme before heading over with other two.

"Hello," said Miu, "the people on the Internet who spam for a living have caught up with us already."

"There isn't anything for me?" asked Matsuri, putting on the nekomimi outfit Nobue gave her a few months ago.

"You're lucky," Nobue said. "None."

Miu handed Matsuri a small envelope, saying "Here. This will keep you busy."

"It's your behind, you see. Fans are weird in that sense. They take a dislike to things. They'll pick on someone's behind…"

"I'll kick yours if you don't stop talking about it," said Chika.

"My apologies, my younger granddaughter. You know, you're still cute."

"Okay, so what's your point?"

She blushed "You're cuter than our Nobue here…"

"I beg your pardon?" she exclaimed, before conceding, saying, "Whatever."

A bellhop walked behind Satake into the band's room, holding a bigger stack of envelopes than the one Nobue had. "Is that yours, Satake?" asked Miu.

"No, they're for the girl with the glasses ands the ferret," Satake said. Everyone looked at Matsuri with contempt.

"Eh? Ehhhhhh?" she said, blushing with a look of embarrassment.

"Matsuri!" said Miu. "This must have cost you your mom's weekly allowance in stamps."

"She comes from a well-off extended family," Ana said.

"Yep," Matsuri said, taking a random letter from his pile. Opening it, she said, "Eh? What's the Barasui Club?" The Barasui Club was a casino located next door to Busena Terrace, and was a casino reserved for the high rollers.

"Let me read that," Chika said, taking the letter. Clearing her throat, she read, " 'The Management of the Barasui Club takes pleasure in requesting the company of Miss Matsuri Sakuragi," she said, pointing to her, "in their recently refinished gaming rooms. Chemin de Fer, Baccarat, Roulette, Slots, Poker, Blackjack, and also featuring 10 dance floors, including a gentlemen's lounge for adult acts, a island on every floor to order beverages and snacks, and the largest buffet in all of Japan.' Holy crap, this is a lot!"

"And they want me?" Matsuri said, pointing to herself.

"It's gone round that you were voted the Meganekko of the Year in the 11-12 year old category by every media source in the country," said Miu. And Matsuri remembered. A trophy commemorating that honor was sitting in her bedroom.

Snatching the letter, Nobue said, "Well, you're not going."

"Are?" said Matsuri in confusion.

"You're not old enough to play at the gaming rooms, and these people thought you were old enough to even be at the casino," said Grandma.

"But that letter is mine," she said, as Nobue placed it in her purse.

"Guys, get your pens out," said Nobue.

"Why?" asked the girls.

"It's homework time for you junior high prospects. I want all this junk answered by tonight."

"But I want to go out," said Matsuri.

"I will not listen to your complaints, kids."

"You couldn't even write out of a paper bag, you A-cup," said Miu. And she tasted the floor.

"Chatter on, guys, but a touch of the writer's cramp will get you going. Grandma, watch over them. Let's go, Satake."

"See you," the dog said with the bark as the two of them left.

A few seconds later, Miu donned her evening coat and a hat made by people from Royal Ascot. "Where are you going, Miu?" asked Ana, working on a letter.

"Nobue told us to stay here, didn't she?" Miu said. "Bull. Let's get out of here and head to the buffet to eat dinner before heading to the dance floor. And Matsuri, since you got the invitation, it's on you."

"Miu, that's mean," she said as all four of them began to leave the room.

"But what about these letters, kids?" asked Grandma.

"You answer them!" Miu said, as she closed the door.

The old lady pondered about taking part in chemin de fer. She never played the game before, but there had to be a first time for everything.

A housekeeping maid went inside. She wore a dress saved for the likes of cosplay conventions in America. "Excuse my intrusion, I'll clean up, ma'am," she said.

"Sure, young lady, go right ahead." As she began to work on keeping the room in tip-top shape, Grandma had some ideas. That maid outfit would be hers in a hurry.

After an hour eating at the buffet (they were able to get in for free due to their VIP status for the week), it was off to the dance floor to groove to some songs by artists from all over Japan. The DJ knew that Miu, Chika, Matsuri and Ana were inside, so he played hits from their recent albums, "With Strawberry Marshmallow," and "Please Tease Me."

"I Wanna Be Your Cat" was a novelty song that Matsuri wrote and composed, after being inspired by the nekomimi outfit Nobue gave her. It was a novelty overnight. Everyone was singing that song, from salary men to yakuza, to the resident fashionistas in Shibuya, to the Ainu elders of Hokkaido. It was simple and nonsensical, but novelty nonetheless.

_I wanna be your neko, baby,_

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your neko, baby,_

_I wanna be your cat._

_Love you like no other, baby,_

_Like no other cat._

_Love you like no other, baby,_

_Like no other cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_Tell me that you'll love me, baby,_

_Love me more than that._

_Tell me that you'll love me, baby._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your neko, baby,_

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your neko, baby,_

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat._

_I wanna be your cat…_

Inside the Barasui gaming room, there was a great deal of silence and a greater deal of concentration. Every bigwig wanted a piece of everyone else. This was an escape from their business, but they understood not to use the money the business makes for their use, lest they fall gracelessly into financial seppuku.

Grandma decided not to do chemin de fer, but instead do baccarat, a game she specialized in, like poker. While the ladies were in designer suits made by the haute couture houses of the universe, Grandma was in a maid uniform, which, naturally, made her stand out.

The dealer said to her: "Alors, Madame?"

She replied, "Brulee."

He snapped his fingers, and a complimentary brulee was given to her, all fresh and loaded with clotted cream from Cornwall, and a sweetness that was criminal. As Grandma savored the custard, she said to a tall man with a tan and a monocle, "I bet you were an awesome bodybuilder in your day." He nodded. "My turn!" She made her move. "Dieu Et Mon Droit!"

He corrected her. "Pas 'Dieu Et Mon Droit', Madame…Dieu Et Mon Dei."

"Oh, I shall take the little charlatans anyway," she said taking the cards. "Three and two is five, carry one is six."

"Huit a la pointe…et sept." A large pile of chips and a box were given to grandma, while the others looked on scornfully. Grandma continued to concentrate on her cards, letting to flow of the game come to her. This was only the beginning of the coup d'etat at Barasui.

As the DJ on the floor continued to whip out Strawberry Marshmallow songs, an Ana Coppola-written piece was on. "Don't Mess With Me" was a hymn riding on feminism, and could also be seen as a hymn of a female tweener on the road to finding a relationship. It also stimulated awareness of a concept called sexual harassment. Matsuri's Arabian drum was accompanied a taiko ensemble from Irvine, California, USA to make the rhythm seem eclectic. Turns out, it was a good addition, like extra seasoning to make a bland soup taste like a winner.

As the number played, Matsuri did the monkey dance, a Eastern version of the American twist. While Miu's tango moves caught some flair, Ana's booty shaking caught some wild howls, and Chika danced like she was a swinger from the American South, Matsuri caught the most attention with her monkey dancing as the message of "Don't Mess With Me" played out over the floor.

_I can't believe _

_That you would leave me _

_On my own._

_It's just not right_

_When every night_

_I sit at home._

_I've got no time_

_For trash like you._

_Don't mess with me._

_You know I'll never be the same,_

_And I don't want you back again._

_Because I know you'll never be_

_The only one for me._

However, the coup d'etat would have to go through a double take. At one point, Grandma lost all her chips. So, it was time for some sneakiness. One of the waiters delivered snacks and champagne to a young couple from Kazakhstan. He took a handkerchief placed it over his arm, presented a bill he wrote on a piece of paper and collected his payment with a larger bundle of chips that he last started with. And the coup d'etat resumed.

"Dieu Et Mon Droit!" she said.

"All My Ramen" was one of those songs that talked about food, relationships over lunch, and promises. Chika Itoh wrote most of the song, while Miu Matsuoka composed the music. At this point, the four decided to rest, sipping on complementary strawberry virgin daiquiris from the bar. Essentially, it was a smoothie with strawberries, honey and ice, blended with whipped cream, and a strawberry on top. And this drink was served in a tall glass. For these girls each of them had to hold it with both their hands. Matsuri and Chika talked about nonesuch material with a few other guys who were sitting next to them.

No sooner had their all finished their drinks when Nobue saw them, and escorted them out. It was a good thing she didn't have to pay for the daiquiris.

C_lose your eyes, and I'll kiss you,_

_Tomorrow I'll miss you,_

_Remember I'll always be true,_

_And then while I'm away,_

_I'll have cake every day,_

_And I'll send all my ramen to you._

_I'll pretend that I'm kissing_

_The soba I'm missing_

_And hope that my sushi comes, too._

_And then while I'm away,_

_I'll have cake every day,_

_And I'll send all my ramen to you._

_All my ramen I will send to you._

_All my ramen, darling, I'll be true._

The maid was literally in her underwear, and she was reading the book Grandma read an hour and a half ago. A knock on the door could be heard. "Yabe, it's the manager!" she said, and she hid in the dresser.

"Okay guys, finish the letters," Nobue said.

"We were going to do it," said Miu.

"Let's do it now. Hurry!" Within second the four were writing responses to their fans letters. A chuckle of two could be seen. After five minutes, Matsuri went over to put away her nekomimi outfit, when she saw the maid in her underwear. Closing it, and slowly moving back to the others, she said, "Eto…have any of you put a woman in the cupboard? Anyone?"

"Not really," said Chika.

"Well, somebody did."

Ana took a look, and went back in the same manner as Matsuri. "Ohohohoho, Matsuri is right, guys. Ohohoho, ohohoho…." She zipped back to writing responses to her fans.

Satake then walked inside through a door made for dogs, and smelled something fragrant coming out of the dresser. Pressing a button that automatically opened the dresser, he bared his teeth in a growl and barked. The maid screamed, and tried to run out, but tripped on a wire, and fell down, right before the others. He then said, "Ladies! What's all this?"

"Oh, she's been lurking, all right," said Chika with suspicion.

"Yeah," said Miu. "She must be a stalker who wants to sleep with us and do God-knows-what when we're in bed." She tasted the floor.

"Ma'am," asked Ana with a giggle. "You're undressed. Where are your clothes?"

"The old lady," she said, "eto…she went to borrowed them to go gambling at Barasui."

Chika put her hand on her head as if to tear her hair off. "Arrrgh!"

"Oh, I see," said Matsuri. "Grandma went to my club."

"Yeah," said Ana. "It's all your fault, Matsuri, getting invites to gambling clubs when you're underage. She's probably in the middle of some 4040 orgy by now."

"An orgy?" exclaimed Miu. "Hehehehehe! UFO Discovery! Now this I gotta see!"

"Let's go, girls," said Nobue, and the others left.

"But what about me?" asked the maid.

"You're too old," said Chika, and she closed the door.

She was confused, and stood at the door. She was reduced to talking to herself. "But…I work here…"

"Encore de champagne, Madame?" said another waiter to Grandma, while the tanned old man with the monocle looked on.

"Yes, and I'll have some sake as well."

"How many?'  
"Three cups." The tanned man whistled in amazement.

As the waiter went over to get he order, the manager of the Barasui Club said, "Lady Fuzuki Itoh of the Itoh Combine of Tokyo, Japan, filthy rich of course."

The customer next to him said, "Humph. I don't know, she looks a bit dirty to me."

"How do you figure?"

"Says on her profile she likes magazines geared toward young men. At least that's what I heard."

The manager, let out a bellowing laugh, and then looked on to inspect the other customers.

The girls, Satake, and Nobue went to the third floor of the Barasui, where the high-rollers section was located.

"Guys, try to act with class here, this is upscale part of the casino," said Nobue.

"We know how to behave," said Miu. "We've had lessons."

"Really?" asked Chika. She knew Miu was lying.

As the group approached the entrance, the attendant at the door said, "Sorry, miss, members and invited gusts only."

Nobue said, "Well…" Pointing to the four girls, the attendant knew who they were.  
"Proceed," he said.

Satake said, "I'm with them. I'm Matsuri's other pet."

As he walked in, the attendant said to himself. "How the hell does that dog TALK?"

Nobue saw the manager and said, "Excuse me, sir, but do you have a little old lady in there?"

"You mean Lady Itoh?" he said.

"She's at it again," said Chika. "Look, I'm her grandmother. I mean…"

"Grandmother?" said the tanned man with the monocle. "This must be the inky dinky peep show!"

"A Hard Gay conspiracy?" said another customer with a toupee.

"UFO Discovery," said another old man with a bald head that looked like Mikhail Gorbachev's.

"Benoist!" yelled another customer with otaku-style glasses and a overweight appearance that reeked of incestuous body odor.

"Who the hell are these amazons?" asked Grandma. "I've never seen these punks in my life!"

As the five of them struggled to restrain Grandma from acting like a wild chicken with its head cut off, the manager said, "Before you go, ladies, there's a small matter of the bill." He held a piece of paper.

"Oh? I'll take that." Nobue was shocked. "A hundred thousand yen?"

"I beg your pardon," corrected the manager, "guineas."

"WHAT?" screamed Nobue. "Why in Kami-sama did Grandma…"

"Your winnings, Madame," said the waiter to Grandma, "50 million yen." The manager took the money and crumpled up the bill.

"How about my change?' asked Grandma.

"Cloak room charge," he said.

"Ah well, easy come, easy go nya," said Matsuri, still clad in the nekomimi. Everyone in the casino looked at he with suspicion ands contempt. "…are, nya?" She had nothing else to do but let out a sigh, her hands gestured to look like that of a cat. Lucky meganekko bastard.

A bathtub filled with suds signaled the call of Day 2 of Ichigo Mashimaro's trip to Okinawa. It was a travesty that the band would not get to visit the shrines on the island, but maybe somewhere down the road it was a possibility. But back to the bathtub. It was full of a mountain of suds. It should be noted that because this was Busena Terrace, the bubble bath mixes would be of five-star quality that one could find at any upscale in the world, primarily Europe.

Out of the bubbled popped Miu's head. Devoid of the twin tails, which could suggest a level of hotness to go with cuteness, and sporting a towel around her chest and waist, she was playing with a rubber ducky, and a doll that looked like Sana Kurata from Kodomo No Omocha in a bikini.

She then said, " 'Oh, my sweet rubber ducky, can I ride with you all the way to Tijuana please?' 'Honk.' 'Ah, arigato gozaimasu, kyaaa…' " Spreading the Sana doll's legs, she made it ride the rubber ducky around the soapy waters of the bathtub, a journey to nowhere in particular. Thoughts of a woman moaning pervaded Miu's head, and a twitch of the eyebrows, caused it to be punched away in comic style.

Satake walked in through the door made for dogs. "Keep Japan the global fountain of youth." Turning to Ana, who was styling her hair in the manner of Robin from Witch Hunter Robin, he said, "Aw come on, Ana."

"Sorry, you can't," she said. "This is a place where humans bathe. There is no place for dogs to bathe here."

"Aww, but they allow dogs and cats to accompany them here though."

"Anyway, there isn't anything here in this bathroom that has a bubble bath for dogs." No sooner had she said that when she caught her eye at a bubble bath mix for dogs. "I stand corrected, my mistake."

Satake barked and panted in approval. Miu continued her bout of random silliness with Sana and the rubber ducky. Ana, meanwhile began to bathe Satake with the bubble bath that was similar to what Miu use, be formulated in a way that is specially designed for dogs of all breeds and sizes. The wonders of chemistry.

"Stay still," said Ana, massaging Satake with the bubble bath.

"Mmmm, raspberry," the dog said.

"Stay still!"

Miu started a sing-song. "Ki-mi-ga-yo…" Before she could sing the next syllable, a splash could be heard. The rubber ducky was taking Sana underwater again. But where in the name of Miho Obana was Akito in all this? Four letters: A.W.O.L. Miu sank herself in the rich fragrant water of raspberries and strawberries.

"All right," said Ana. "Now let's go ahead and rinse you off." Taking a bucket of water, she gently rinsed Satake of the suds. Afterwards, he shook himself dry. "Whoa," she said.

Miu hummed the first few notes of the Star-Spangled Banner before saying in Engrish, "Herupu me, puriiisu! Tasukete! Tasukete!" And she sunk herself in the water to relax.

"Miu got torpedoed again," said Ana.

"Oh," Satake said. "Now, that sucks for her."

"Come on, let's go ahead and get ready."

"Miu," said Nobue walking in, "the bus is going to take you to Ginowan right now. Miu?"

"In the bath," Ana said, walking out with Satake, letting out a bark.

"All right Miu, get out of the bath," Nobue said. Pulling the plug, the bathtub emptied. Nobue started to have a worried look. No! It can't be! "Miu! MIU!" She just stood there, stunned, incredible stunned by what happened. "Sonna."

Miu walked inside the bathtub, saying, "Oi, Nobue, what are you messing around with that ducky, there's a bus waiting, let's go!"

Well, naturally she would taste the floor again.

It was rather warm in Okinawa right now, so the Ichigo Mashimaro bus was air-conditioned. The band's instruments were already at the Convention Center, so all they needed to do was get there.

"So," said the bus driver, an American expatriate from Louisiana, "this is your first visit to Okinawa, huh?"

"I guess so," said Miu, who answered right behind the driver.

"Well, glad you could come here and enjoy what this island has to offer. Have you heard of World War II?"

"Maybe, The teacher at my school talked about it being a moral defeat to our country or something like that."

"Well," he said, "something happened many decades ago. My father fought on this island as a member of the Allied troops, and he told me that every day during the battle in Okinawa, every day was a bloodbath."

"Bloodbath?"

"People were going to be killed. Casualties on either side. You would be dead, or if you were lucky to be alive, you'd be dead later. My father was able to survive the war without being injured. He died a decade ago, and now he's buried here."

"Ohhh." Miu began to imagine everything.

"Something else for you to think about: 110,000 of your people were killed in that battle," the driver said. "And it lasted for nearly three months. 82 days of hell were on this island."

"You're beginning to scare me, sir," Miu said.

"Ah, but don't worry, it's a peaceful place now. Just don't try to think about it, kid. Okay?"

"Okay." But for a time, the loss of 110,000 Japanese men and women couldn't get out of her mind. No, Miu Matsuoka couldn't change the past, even though it did hurt. Never again, she thought. Never again.

The bus finally made its way to the Convention Center, dropping at the front, where yet another mob of IchiMashi fanatics were waiting for them.

"Miu," said Nobue, "once the door opens, get inside the press room hall. Follow the signs."

As they did so, the mobs were chasing them incessantly, until the police formed a barrier. Some had to suffer from tazer guns before being taken away.

The press hall was huge. Inside, there were many people from around the world waiting to interview them.

"Amazing," said Chika.

"Over here," Nobue said, as they walked to their seats on a platform, facing the press.

"First time I'm participating a press conference," said Ana, the butterflies rushing in her stomach.

"Just answer naturally," she replied.

"Okay," the moderator said, "Good morning, ladies and gentle of the press to the Okinawa Convention Center, in Ginowan City, Okinawa-ken, Japan, for this Ichigo Mashimaro Concert press conference. Now that the four members band Ichigo Mashimaro are in attendance, I open to floor to questions."

"Yes. Hanzo Ikeda, Yomiuri Shimbun," said one, "For Chika. What styles of music do you play, and what are they inspired by?"

"I've been asked that question a lot of times," she said. "I'll put it this way: it's our custom blend of J-Pop and J-Rock, with some British invasion overtones to it. It's unique enough to be our sound."

"Akemi Orihara, Kyodo News," said the next one. "This is for Miu. Why do you like to tie your hair back into twin pigtails?"

"I suppose it's one of those things about hair fashion," she said. "When a woman ties her hair back into twin pigtails, it submits a sense of adorability to anyone who sees it. It makes that person feel special. I like to tie my hair back using bows or ribbons."

"Tom Matson, London Observer," said the next one. "This is for Ms. Coppola. Have you been able to have a grasp of being bilingual, as in being fluent in English and Japanese?"

She giggled, and said with a British accent, "Well, I would suppose that I have a good command of British English. I'm trying not to fall into…a hole of assimilation. I'd rather be acculturated than anything. Is my English okay?"

"Excellent," he said. "Thank you."

"No, thank YOU," she said. Laughter could be heard all over the press.

"Ron Batwick, Toronto Sun," the next person said. "This is for Ms. Matsuoka. Tell me, how did you find America?"

"Turn right at Alaska," she said. Even more laughter could be heard. "And use the Inside Passage." The laughter continued.

"Ardesh Gunbar, The Times of India of New Delhi," said the next person. "This is for Ana. Has success changed you life, and in what ways?"

"Definitely it has," she said, "and in what ways…I think I have been introduced to a community of famous people my age, and I'm able to build friendships outside of our band. And it's not just me, it's everyone who wins. But yes, it's really changed my life."

"Hang-Soo Kim, Korea Herald," said the next person. "This is for Chika. If you were to do one thing to Japan, what would you do?"

"I would make Japan the global fountain of youth," he said, "and keep it that way."

"Ciao. Gio Baresi, L'Osservatore Romano," the next person said. "This is for Signore Sakuragi. Do you consider yourself a megane or a neko?"

"Neither, I'm a meganekko," she replied. The male members of the press were in stitches.

"Rodolfo Cante, O Globo of Sao Paolo," said the next person. "This is for Miss Matsuoka. Do you have any hobbies?"

Taking a sign and a marker, Miu scribbled an answer. Showing it, the sign read, "Singing, performing, and that's about it. But there are other things I do, as well."

"Gabe Botha-Voorhuis, Mail & Guardian of South Africa," said the next person. "This question is for Chika. There is talk that you are related to Fuzuki Itoh, a patron of a number of top 10 corporations in Japan. Is this true, and what are your thoughts on this discovery?"

"No," she said in frank dismissal, "we're just good friends."

"Igor Shorkavsky, Pravda," said the next person, "For Miss Sakuragi, Do you think haircuts like yours will withstand the tests of time?"

"Fun question," she said. "Some people are telling me I look like a younger version of Mina from Getsumen To Heiki Mina, but I'm not sure. I might grow my hair long, but I like how it looks. I will need to look up this Mina character that some of my fans are telling me about because…I think that might interest me."

"Good morning. Ole Gudjohnsen, Norway Post," the next person said. "This is for Ana. What would you call the hairstyle you're wearing?"

"I really don't have an idea. I do like how Agatha Maeltskog of ZAMA styled her hair back then, so maybe I'll call it Agatha. Is that a good idea, guys?" They nodded at her. "Agatha it is! Hee-hee! 3"

"Basil Hernandez Montero, La Nacion of San Jose, Costa Rica," said the next person. "This question is for Chika. There have been some people noting that Miu has been doting on you to the fact that some declare you as an official couple. Is this true?"

"Eh?" She blushed madly. "No, no, no, we're just good friends. I really don't understand why people would assume that the two of us are a lesbian couple."

"If you were gay," sang Miu, before she publicly tasted the floor again, to a roaring ovation, before the interview continued and Miu got back to her seat.

"Howdy, girls. Shorty Batwell, Las Vegas Sun," said the next person, "This question is for Matsuri Sakuragi. You bring a ferret to you everywhere you go. What's his name?"

"Oh, this one?" she asked, holding him up. "This is John. He's like my mascot in a way. I never leave home without John."

"Like Visa?"

"Um, I'm not old enough to own credit cards yet, sorry," She had to laugh hesitantly while her cheeks were pink.

"Ben Carlson, Irish Independent," said the next person. "This question is for Chika. There have been stories of you having a crush with the son of the president of Toyota Corporation, and he attends your school. They have been well publicized. What are your thoughts on this?"

"We're just good friends, and I won't say anymore," said Chika. "It's too embarrassing. And to those people publicizing these false stories, I ask you to stop, or I will sue you for libel."

"Last question," said the moderator. He pointed, "Over there."

"G'Day. Glen Dartwick, Sydney Morning Herald," said the next person. "This question is for Matsuri. How would you like boys your age to dress?"

She laughed, and said, "I think it's really up to them how they dress. If it's something they feel good in, it's fine by me. If they want to cross-dress, that's fine, as long as they can pull it off. I do like to see girls dress to the point where they understand people will see them as cute, but they see themselves more than just cute. They're something everyone including themselves, can be proud of."

"Thank you," said the moderator. "Are there any last remarks from the girls?"

"Thank you for coming today, and please enjoy our concert," said Chika.

"You make us smile, and we hope to make you smile," said Matsuri.

"It definitely is a great day to be alive," said Ana. "Enjoy life, and enjoy our performance."

"Your happiness makes the whole world happy. Strawberry Marshmallow forever," said Miu.

"Strawberry Marshmallow forever," echoed the girls. The press applauded as they left, Nobue included.

Heading into the theater and taking a few seats to relax, Ana was a bit disgusted, and tired. "That was pathetic. We didn't eat breakfast this morning, and all we had was orange juice and water."

"I wanted something with carbohydrates," said Miu.

"A person gave this to me," said Grandma. It was a large bag of food from McDonald's. "You can have it." The girls scrambled to get their sandwiches and hash browns from the bag. "And here's another one." She held a huge bag filled with PowerAde and a drink called Vault.

"You're a godsend, Grandma," said Chika, wolfing down the contents of a Vault bottle.

"We're just about finished with these photos. Ana," she said, directed her over, "give us your John Henry on this one."

"Will do," she said.

"Thanks for the meal, Grandma," the girls said, bowing their heads.

"No problem," she replied.

"Hey guys," Chika said, pointing, "Isn't that our set down there?"

"Oh, awesome. Let's check it out! Come on!" Miu replied, running down to the floor.

"Wow, palm trees," said Chika. "This is state of the art stuff. I love palm trees."

"It's like a dream," said Ana.

"We're just passing through," Miu said to the stage crew, who were setting up. "Don't mind us."

At that point, Satake slinked into the theater. "Where are you guys?" he asked.

"Over here, down on the stage!" said Miu.

"Ah, there you are!" With a bark, he jumped down and caught up with the girls, who were examining their set.

While Matsuri was setting up her drum set, the floor manager, a young apprentice of 17 years age, tinkered a little with one of the cymbals.

"Excuse me, but can you please leave my drums alone?" she asked with a scowl.

"Oh, surely I can just have a little touch," he replied.

"If you start to breathe on them, I'm going to send a complaint to the owners of your company."

"Aren't you being a bit Yukariistic on things?" he said.

"There you go, hiding behind a smoke screen of Azumanga clichés. I don't go about messing with your earphones, now do I?" she asked, tapping his headset.

"Wench!"

"I don't care if you call me that, just don't touch them!"

He was furious. Ana told the floor manager in an assuring tone, "She's very touchy about people tampering with her drums, sir. That and her ferret John are the reasons why she's here." Conceding, the floor manager nodded, and proceeded to inspect the other parts of the floor.

As Matsuri sat down, she began to sleep.

"What's going on?" Chika said.

"She's sulking again, Matsuri is," said Ana.

"I'll wake her up," said Miu, picking up her guitar.

And as she began to sing the words to "Did I Fall?" Matsuri woke up immediately. The song was another one that Chika and Miu wrote and composed together. It was simply about a relationship problem between two girls.

_Did I fall in love with you?_

_If I did, I'm sorry, too._

_I'll never understand._

_Never been in love before,_

_But I found you were more_

_Than just some other man._

_If I gave my all to you,_

_I must be sure _

_From the very start_

_That you_

_Would want me more than him._

_If I trust in you,_

_Oh please,_

_Don't try to hide._

_If I want you too,_

_Don't tease_

_And hurt my pride like him._

_Cause I'll never stand the pain._

_And I would be mad if we made love_

_In the rain._

_So I hope you see_

_That I _

_Would want to want you_

_And that he_

_Will die_

_When he learns we are too._

_But did I fall in love with you?_

"I think we'll need a bit more drums on that," said Miu.

"More drums?" Matsuri asked.

"On the third bit," Chika said.

"All right, I'll do that next time."

A tall man with glasses, a vest over a shirt with tie and black pants with black wingtips walked towards the set. He was glued to his cell phone, saying, "Okay, okay, okay, I'm sorry. I don't wanna hear about it, Kaz. If it's your opinion, you're right if you think it's unsuitable, I'll talk it with you next month; I don't have the time, or the energy, for one of your hardball sessions right now. Ja," he finished, hanging up on his flip RAZR.

"Aren't you trying to make the situation grey?" asked Miu, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Quite honestly I wasn't expecting some musical arranger to challenge my musical abilities picture-wise."

Pointing to him with a thumb, she replied to the other three, "I could listen to this guy for hours. He's wasting minutes on his pink RAZR, no less."

"What's all this about a musical arranger?" Chika asked accusingly.

"Mrs. Itoh, Senior," he said, giving the floor to Grandma.

Clearing her throat, she said, "Chika, they're trying to screw you over with how they want things to go, but I've decided to challenge him with my own plans."

"Humph," he said. Putting his glasses on to have an opaque reflection, he said, "Well, I'm quite happy to be replaced."

"Mr. Kimihiro Asuna of MediaWorlds Entertainment is your typical money maker," Grandma said, introducing the director's name in the process.

"I won a number of awards in the past."

"They all say that," Miu chortled.

"They're displayed in my office," he reiterated.

Grandma then handed photos of Mr. Asuna's trophies to Miu. "UFO Discovery!" she exclaimed. She hit face down on the floor again.

"Hello you guys," Nobue said. "Are you all happy?" They all stared at her. Closing her eyes and sighing, she then said, "Okay, Mr. Asuna, if you don't need these guys, I'll have them all sit in the dressing room until you need them again."

"Sure, Ms. Itoh," said Mr. Asuna. "I will not need these kids for an hour. Thank you very much."

With a bow, she then ushered the four off the stage.

"Keitaro," Mr. Asuna said to the floor manager, "I have an errand for you. At midnight, give me a tall bottle of milk and some cookies. And make sure the milk has at least one shot of Kahlua in it. All a fix, all a fix."

"Kahlua," said Keitaro, writing it down. "You got it." Somehow Mr. Asuna liked to keep a little bit of Hawaii in him.

"I've got the key, guys," said Nobue to the four girls, Satake behind. "Matsuri, hurry up." She wasn't walking fast enough, but she did pick up the pace.

Grandma saw a familiar-looking man, with a deck of cards. "Chance Bourbon!" she exclaimed. "I saw one of your shows at the Tropicana in '86. If you're here to have some fun and give your fans a show, you're all right."

Pressing the deck of cards, and clasping his two hands together, he revealed a pack of 100 doves that flew out. With a nod, Grandma set off.

Going down the hallways and stairways of the Okinawa Convention Center proved to be confusing, long, and required some exploration. Lucky for the girls, Nobue knew where the dressing room was.

Miu passed by an actor wearing a costume to look like one of the characters from the game Soul Caliber. "Whoa, nice cosplay!" she said.

"You like it?" he said.

"I want it," she replied. Chika dragged her off to continue proceeding to the dressing room.

"Okay, I want you to stay in this dressing room, and don't mess about. Miu, put those boys down, or I'll tell you mother on you," she said, catching Miu fondling the chest of one of the male martial arts performers. "And once again, stop messing about, guys."

As Nobue continued to explain what the girls should do for the mean time, Matsuri saw an exit door. The four opened the door, revealing the beach…and the ocean. And then they made their escape.

"Freedom!" Matsuri exclaimed. The girls then ran off to the beach.

Coincidentally, each of them was wearing a two-piece string bikini underneath their purple. Each of their outfits had white hibiscus prints. To see the girls undress would be a spectacle in itself. But no one was visible, except for a merchant who offered watermelons and a stick to break them, blindfolds, a volleyball (the net was set already), inflatable rafts, and surfboards.

The girls first proceeded to playing a game of smashing the watermelon. All four were unsuccessful, with Miu being the closest. Matsuri collapsed again, and needed a whiff of the ocean air.

Next, it was a game of beach volleyball. Ana and Miu were very skilled at making the kills; albeit Ana did it better that Miu. The latter would just put too much emphasis on power and less on accuracy. As a result, Matsuri and Ana won the match by a country mile. Sometimes Ana would jump so high that her body was literally OVER the net. That made it too easy for her to make the kills where she wanted. Miu did taste the sand after trying to get back with teasing Ana's last name.

Finally, it was time to enjoy the ocean. Miu tried her hand at riding a surfboard, while the other three floated on the rafts effortlessly. After 5 or 6 wipeouts, Miu was able to ride a 31-foot wave all the way to the sand. Afterwards, she just fell asleep on the sand. Miu, Matsuri, and Ana followed suit and slept next to her after they put the rafts away. The sun gazed over them, as if to smile.

About 20 minutes later, a tanned local citizen woke them up and said. "I suppose you realize this is private property."

Getting up, Ana said, "Sorry if we hurt your beach, Mister."

"Oh, that's okay," he said. "Clean yourselves up, give what you used back to the merchant, and then get out of here."

"Arigato gozaimasu," the four said in unison, and they began to clean up, and then leave in their original clothes.

He looked at this quizzically. "Those girls…have I seen them before? Wait a minute…" And then, like the Shinkansen, it began to hit him. This was the idols of Strawberry Marshmallow that played at his beach, dressed so cute and so sexy it was criminal. As he felt something rigid in his shorts, a stream, and then a river of blood came out of his nose. He sank to his knees, the red liquid dripping down his chest, and into his shorts.

"Nooooooooo!" he bellowed to the heavens, submitting to the fact that it wasn't just joshikousei girls that turned him on, but elementary school ones as well. God save that man. Mercy.

With a sigh, Nobue and Satake entered the dressing room. Opening the door, she said to the dog, "They're not here." She waved to the band's tailor, who nodded. "Hello, Satsuki."

That was her name. Satsuki Iida. Already graduated from high school, she was currently studying fashion. She was confident the experience being the tailor for Strawberry Marshmallow would pay off.

"Oh," said Satake, "They may have gone to the Starbucks down the street to get some tea Fraps. Or something."

"That would be too easy for Miu," she said.

"What do you mean by that, Nobue?"

In a telenovela voice, she said, "She is out there somewhere, doing God-knows-what to God-knows-who in God-knows-where."

"You're just imaging it, Nobue. You've been drinking and smoking too much. You should try to be sober for once."

"No, no, no. See, this is a battle of nerves between Miu and me."

"But Miu doesn't have any."

"Any what?"

"Nerves."

"You'd think so," she said, reclining to light up another Mild Even, "but you're wrong." Taking a puff, she added, "I've been trying to understand why she acts the way she does, but it's difficult. Sometimes I wish she stay face down on the floor, and then die."

"Nobue?"  
"What?"

"Pet me."

"All right you little devil, come over here." Leaping into Nobue's lap, the dog gave a few barks, and even licked his master's face. Naturally, she was laughing. Perhaps she should let the girls explore Okinawa a bit. This was paradise, after all.

Chika, Matsuri, and Ana walked back to the dressing room, but Miu dragged behind to watch the people pass by. Suddenly, a young man in his late teens saw her. "Hello there."

"Hi," she said. Suddenly, her heart started thumping. This was none other than the great Akito Hayama, one of the actors from Kodomo no Omocha, who also doubled a real-life fiancée of somebody. But did that somebody have to look like…Miu?

"Hold on just a moment. Wait," Akito said. On top of that, what the heck was this playboy for an actor doing loafing around Ginowan City on a Monday afternoon in June heat?

"Huh?"

"Don't tell me that you're…"

"No, I'm not."

"Oh you are, I know you are."

"I'm sorry, I'm not."

"You are."

"No, I'm not."

"Well…um…" He cleared his throat. "You look just like her."

"You know what?" countered Miu. "You're actually the first one to say that."

"Look in the mirror."

She did. Suddenly, in her mind, an image of Sana Kurata in her junior high uniform showed. Miu did notice some differences, though. "My hair is a bit darker."

"Yes."

"And my twin tails…"

"Your twin tails are very."

"Actually, they're shorter than hers. And I don't have bangs down the middle."

"You probably know her well more than me." She was bluffing. She did watch the series. Heck, she has all the episodes on DVD. Miu even remembers the lyrics to TOKIO's 19 o'clock news and Ultra Relax. And coincidentally, out of fondness for Sana, she decided to try to copy her hair style, and was close.

"No, we're just close acquaintances." Miu knew he was lying. She could see it in his face.

"Right, that's what they all say."

Stunned, Akito was on his knees, clutching Miu's skirt. "What…have you heard?"

"Everyone knows who you are, and who you're going to marry. It's not a secret. If it was, you'd probably be on top of me right now…kyaa!" Miu fell down, and suddenly she found that Akito was on top of her. Her heart started to beat a bit faster. "I think I have been asking for a bit too much."

"For real?" he asked.

Putting a finger to her lips, she said, "Keep this a secret from everyone, including your fiancée. I'm on your side."

"I knew I could trust you," he said, inching closer.

"Arigato," Miu said.

Akito started to finger down Miu's dress and her body, and was about to move in on her virgin lips. To his surprise, she did not hesitate being open to sexual touch and go. He thought to himself, "He that embraces girls deserves to be a boy! So what if Sana's not here? Miu Matsuoka might as well be the next best thing to heaven!"

Miu started to sweat. She didn't mind the sensation of being in an intimate situation with a celebrity, but her heart was beating. She was thinking, "Is this the meaning of love? Or is this a forbidden fruit that was given to me by a serpent that was disguised as one of my idols on the silver screen. Forgive me, Chika, I will accept losing my virginity now. There is no holding back my love for Akito Hayama! Release me!" She started to moan a little bit.

As Akito's lips were less than a centimeter away from Miu's, he retreated, got back up, while Miu was still lying. "No, you don't look like her at all," he said. "Alas, Sana would never forgive me if I gave you your first kiss, and fondled you like the kitten you are. My forbidden love, I must retreat. Goodbye!" He ran off in flee, crashing into a few music stands before slithering out.

Miu still lay there, dumbstruck at what happened. She was on the very edge of experiencing her first kiss. She was still blushing from the moment. Getting up, she said, "Man, I hope Sana doesn't come to my house and tells me I've been trying to get her fiancée to fall in love with me. But I would mind experiencing it. I would do anything to enjoy romance."

She walked down back to the dressing room, a little bit intoxicated from what she saw on TV as an adult situation. Wait a minute. She was simulating an adult situation? Unbelievable that she would play her part so well! Gracious little child! Miu Matsuoka would understand this later on in her life. And that was a certainty.

As for little Ana Coppola, she wandered about the lobby, the P.A. saying. "There will be a full rehearsal in ten minutes time." Ana, ignoring the announcement, wandered into a room that said Gintama Canteen and Production Office Opposite.

"Wonder what this is," she said. Slowly opening the door, she was welcomed by a woman wearing a red cheongsam, with green ornaments on her hair.

"Ah, there you are," she said.

"Ano…gomen ne, I think a made a mistake."

"No, no, you haven't." Looking at her, she said, "Actually, he'll be pleased with you."

"Really?"  
"Of course. Hold on, let me call him." Dialing a few buttons, she said, "Hello, I think I have one for you, Gin-san….oh, I think so….yes, she can speak perfect Japanese in spite of looking British…uh-huh….okay, thank you, I thing you to see her. Right away, arigato."

"Come inside his office," she said, turning to Ana. The office door wrote: Gintoki Sakata, Gintama Productions.

"Hai," Ana said, carefully walking in. "Ojamashimasu."

Inside the room was a man with permanent wavy light blue hair, wearing a modified half-white kimono with blue waves at the corners over a blue shirt, blue pants, and boots. He had a rather inviting smile. Next to him was his assistant, dressed in a silver martial-arts outfit trimmed with green with green pants. He was wearing glasses.

The man with the blue hair was Gintoki Sakata, a talented swordsman and comedian who was also a skilled producer when he, his assistant, and the secretary were not playing their roles as the underachieving heroes in the smash hit TV series "Gintama."

"Will this do, Gin-san?" asked the secretary to Gintoki.

He replied, "Hmmm, so you found one, Kagura. Very nice. Not bad. Um, turn around, chicky baby."

"Chicky…baby?" Ana asked quizzically, her eyebrows begging the question.

"Just turn around for a little bit," Gintoki said. She did. "Mmmm, this one is in the bag, or so it seems. She will look awesome alongside Chiyo. All righty, Annalisa, this won't take you much of your borrowed time. Don't breathe on me, Shinpachi."

That was the assistant's name. Shinpachi Shimura. He was leaning too much on Gintoki because he couldn't see Ana.

But that was unusual for her. To be called Annalisa. "Ano…" she said, "Honto gomen ne, but there seems to be some sort of misunderstanding here. You see, I'm not who you're looking for. I mean…"

With a chuckle, he said, "Oh, no, no, you don't have to show that hesitant shy-girl look towards me, I've seen in all before with the films I have in my basement when I'm out of my office."

"Gomen ne, but in all honesty, I really don't know what is going on here."

"She's a natural, Kagura," he said to the secretary with a wink.

She chuckled and replied, "Well, Gin-san, I did tell the people there not to send any more real ones."

"They ought to know by now that fake people are much easier to handle," Gintoki said, "but she's still a good type." Clearing his throat, he said to Ana, "We would like you to give you opinion on some clothes for tweens and teens, as well as for children in elementary school, preferably those in the fourth grade and up."

"Oh, no problem, I'll be quite happy to do that without a hitch, yes," said Ana with a nod.

"Well, it's not your real opinion," Gintoki said, waving an index finger. "It will be written out and you'll learn it." Aside to Kagura, "Can she read?"

"Why would you ask that?" Ana said, crossing her arms. "Of course!"

"I mean lines, blondie. Can you handle lines?"

"I'll knock them back like candy."

"Good. Kagura, give this darling whatever it is they drink, um, a vaulterama?"

"Ara," Ana said with a sigh.

"Well, she is quite polite. Ahem, show her the dresses, Shinpachi." The assistant in the glasses nodded, and then gave Ana a couple of packages of dresses from the Victorian era.

"Now," explained Gintoki, "You and your peers will love these. They are 'kawaii', 'moe', and all the other hyperboles that they have come up with in this secular age."

Ana was disgusted. "I wouldn't be seen even dead in this crap. This is retro junk!"

"Retro junk?" he asked.

"Yes, as in stuff that was popular a century ago, but is just plain garbage today. I'd rather walk around town in a shirt and a miniskirt extending down to the middle thigh than these outfits, with an optional light sweater if it's a bit cold. Ugh, this is just plain garbage!"

"Make a note of that, and give it to Chiyo," Gintoki said to Kagura. "It's interesting, it really is. Here is this gaijin brat giving me advice that is really valueless down the run, when in a few weeks, she will suffering from an inferiority complex due to the fact she isn't wearing one of these nasty things. Of course they're retro junk, you little skank, but that's why you'll want them." He forced a smile.

Ana stood her ground. "No. Way."

With a smirk, he said, "You know you can be replaced, chicky baby."

"I don't care. I'm already doing something anyway."

Studying her crossed legs, Gintoki said, "And that pose is out too, Annalisa. The new thing that you should now do is to care passionately about being right wing. You will be supporting people like Jean Marie Le Pen and be an eventual slave for President Bush, among things. And on top of that, if you don't cooperate, you will not meet Chiyo."

Ana then said, "Oh? And who's this Chiyo when she's at home?"

"She is none other than Chiyo Mihama, our resident teenager. You'll like her. She's your symbol." Gintoki pointed to the portrait of Chiyo smiling with her pet dog, Mr. Tadakichi.

"Chiyo Mihama…you mean that high school prodigy brat whose fan boy-laden colleague from Osaka thinks that her pigtails are a flying apparatus, and on top of that, assumes she has a father is actually a plush toy? THAT Chiyo Mihama?"

"I beg your pardon?" Gintoki blinked.

"Oh yeah, my friends at school watch the reruns of Azumanga Daioh and laugh at the situation she was in. And the fact that she has to literally be driven into the ground by that scumbag Tomo Takino. Some of them have been writing death threats to Tomo for stripping Chiyo of her innocence."

"But she's a trend setter," said Gintoki. "It's her profession."

"She was the epitome of cute until she became a high school student. She screwed herself up big time after entering Yukari Tanizaki's classroom. She deserves better than to be a model for your company. She has a life, too."

"Get her out," Gintoki said to Kagura and Shinpachi.

"Um, did I say something wrong?"

"Get her out. She's destroying the program's image!"

"Sorry about your dresses," Ana said before taking off.

"Get her out!" Stopping for a bit, Gintoki said to Kagura, "You don't think she's a new phenomenon, do you?"

"You mean an early clue to the new 'Kawaii is Justice' direction in Japan, Gin-san?" she said, hinting at the fact that cuteness was in the forms of 11 and 12 year olds who didn't skip grades.

"Where's the calendar?" Gintoki scrambled inside his desk to find that pocketbook of his. Finally finding it, he checked the monthly calendar for June. "No, no, she's just a trouble maker. The change isn't due for three and a half weeks. In any case, Kagura, Shinpachi, make a note not to extend Chiyo's contract. Let's not take any chances, hmmm?"

"Right," the two said. Indeed, there was a change in the definition of cute, Gintama Productions was slow to catch up.

Currently on stage was a traveling Kabuki theatre company. They were doing a rehearsal for a performance that would go on a week after Strawberry Marshmallow's concert. The drama was set in the 1200's to 1300's, when clans from all over Japan were fighting, and there was a moment's peace, but lovers from rival clans would express their affection. But when the truth was revealed, a war would begin. The plot was essentially a rip-off of Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet," souped up like a Nabe stew pot to fit Kabuki standards. They were in the third scene of five, which was the longest of them all, and everything was running smoothly.

The problem was, below the stage, Grandma was at it, walking about, not knowing were she was. Holding a stack of autographed photos of the girls, a grip passing by said, "She's a very dirty lady."

She ignored him and continued exploring about, coming into a slightly raised platform. Nobue and Satake wandered about, out of sight from Grandma.

"No one here," she said with a worry.

"Well, where could those girls have gone?" he said with a whine.

"Let's keep looking," she said, and the whisked past to some other place in the theater.

As Grandma stood on the platform, she unconsciously pulled down a switch. The platform began to elevate onto the stage.

As the Kabuki performers continued with their number, Mr. Asuna saw a figure rise on stage. It was none other than Grandma. The performers had to stop what they were doing.

"That's wrong, isn't it?" he said to the other members of his staff. "That's wrong. Get that woman out!" He held a hand to his forehead and bowed in failure as Grandma looked at the performers.

Back at the dressing room, Nobue and Satake were waiting impatiently. Suddenly, the woman with the coif heard a knock. "Someone's coming. Hide!" The two hid behind the door. "Will you stop being shorter than me?"

"It's not my fault," whimpered Satake. Satsuki, meanwhile, was preparing everything for the girls as they arrived.

Miu opened the door as the girls reentered the dressing room. She saw Nobue and Sataki behind the door. "What are you guys doing there?"

"Hiding, or at least trying to?" said Satake.

"More of less the latter, from what I was seeing."  
"We weren't hiding, Miu," said Nobue. "We were resting. And anyway, I thought I told you guys to stay here."

"But we wanted to go out a little bit, Nobue," said Matsuri.

"Look, when I tell you to stay put, stay put!"

"Nobue, please, don't cane me, master," said Miu on her knees. "I was led astray." Well, she wouldn't be caned (there wasn't a cane is sight), but she did taste the floor.

"Whatever, guys, let's go. Mr. Asuna is waiting for you at the theater."

"All right, time for some music playing," Matsuri said, doing a little dance.

"Attagirl, Matsuri."

"Will you look at her," said Chika, "Nobue's pet."

"I thought her pet was Satake," said Ana, raising an eyebrow.

"You…traitor!" yelled Miu at Matsuri, and she flew herself at her, doing a Greco-Roman pin.

"Miu, you're mean, Nobue, please help me!" cried Matsuri.

For her transgressions, she was immediately driven into the trash can, tasting the floor, and thus killing two bad news birds with one moan.

"Guys, get a move on," Nobue said, pointing to her Rolex. "They're waiting for you."

The girls walked back to the theater. Satsuki took a measuring tape to measure Miu's shoulders, since Chika was heading off.

Cue a karate chop move, Miu yelled, "Hayyyyyyy….yah!" Surprisingly, the tape separated in two, eliciting a groan from Satsuki as the girl with the twin tails and the red dress skipped back to meet with the others.

"Where are they?" Mr. Asuna said in an anxious tone. "I said, Keitaro, where are they?"

"Mr. Asuna, they will be here. I promise you," he said. "Relax."

"Now look, if they're not here on this floor in 30 seconds, there's going to be trouble. You hear me? Trouble!"

A second later, Nobue, the girls, Grandma, and Satake appeared. The girls went over to get their instruments to tune them for the recording at the theatre.

As she tuned her Fender, which was pink and white, with a strawberry-shaped tuners on the side, Miu said to Mr. Asuna, "You're just standing there. I suppose some people have it easy, don't they?"

"Well," he said, "you must keep in mind that I, now in my late 30's, also draw manga, as well as work as a producer. You take two jobs that pay good, and when you combine them, good turns to well."

"Ooooooh."

"How old are you, actually?" Matsuri said.

"On the cusp of my 39th birthday."

"You have a lot to look forward to. Um, don't work too hard."

"I shall take your feedback into consideration, thank you." Matsuri giggled.

"There he goes," Ana said, seeing Mr. Asuna get back to his seat to prepare the recording. "Look at that guy, I bet his wife doesn't know who he is."

"He's still single," said Miu. "Look at his sweater."

Chika took a glance. "How did you know all this, Miu?"

With a smirk, she said, "Wikipedia."

"Ooooohhh," said the others.

"It beats every reference in our school library. But you need to know some English." She face-down on the floor again.

"Excuse me, Miss Matsuoka, can you get back up?" said Mr. Asuna over the speakers. "We don't have time for your floor-tasting follies right now."

"I'm sorry, I did this myself."

"All right, Standby. Run through the number. And try not to wiggle out of your positions." A pause, and then, "Three, coming to you…three…three…"

"We're on three," said Ana.

"Three? Eh, what?"

"We're on three."

"Excellent. Okay…music."

And the song "But I Loved Him," was another tune that Chika and Miu wrote and composed together. Before coming here, they tried to do it in the normal way, with the drums keeping rhythm. Chika, thought decided to slow down the tempo, and make it in the form of love ballads, with bongos replacing the drum set. The words would come to her, and flow from her heart. The others just followed in stride.

_I'd give him all my love,_

_That's all I'd do._

_And if you saw my love,_

_You'd want him too._

_I love him._

_She'd give me everything_

_So tenderly._

_The kiss that woman brings,_

_She'll bring to me._

_But I love him._

_This love of ours_

_Could start to die_

_As long as I _

_Have you near me._

_Bright is the sun that shines,_

_Blue is the sky,_

_I know this friend of mine,_

_Will never cry,_

_But I love him._

"Arigato gozaimasu," said Mr. Asuna. "Solid effort." High fives could be seen on stage. "Make-up?" He inquired for the make-up person to do something.

"We'll just powder these ladies up for a shine," she said.

"Okay. Ms. Itoh," he said to Nobue, "get the kids back to the make-up room for some make-up, will you?"

"As you wish," Nobue said with a grin. And she whisked them off.

At the make-up room, Satake and Grandma were doing a staring game.

Suddenly something happened. "You blinked," Satake said. Grandma, rolled her eyes, and picked up, coincidentally, another comic magazine targeted for young men, filled with buxom beauties from all over Japan.

Now, each of the seats was marked, each with a member of one of four rather familiar names: John, Paul, George, and Richard.

The girls entered, Nobue behind. "Oh, hi guys," said Satake. "Grandma doesn't want to talk to me for some reason. Care to enlighten me?"

Ana said, "Mou, it must be contagious, she's given it to Matsuri here." Naturally, she ignored behind the spectacles, which turned opaque.

"Stop picking on her, Ana," said Nobue.

"I don't need you to defend me," Matsuri said.

"Leave her alone, Coppola," Miu said, "She got a touch of the A-cup fever." And she kissed the floor again.

"All of you. Sit down," directed Nobue to the girls, who complied. Each of them went to their respective seats: Miu to John's, Chika to Paul's, Ana to George's, and Matsuri to Richard's. Miu found some wig that suspiciously looked like a hairdo John wore more than 4 decades ago. A twitch of her eyebrows whacked any premonition way, and she carefully put it on, hiding her own hair inside the wig, and donning a pair of glasses.

Meanwhile, the others applied their makeup themselves, paying detail to the eyelashes, as well as fixing the hair. For a change, Chika removed the accessory that showed her trademark pigtail, and styled it to basically look like a younger version of Nobue.

"Hey sister, how do I look?" she said, showing Nobue her new look, holding a Strawberry Pocky stick like a cigarette. Naturally, she was in stitches. Here was her little adorable sister Chika Ito with a new hairstyle, and the only way to distinguish her from Nobue was height, and nothing else.

With a scowl, she decided to place on the accessory to create her trademark pigtail on the right, while trying to keep the Nobue look. "It seems I've found a bridge," she giggled, blushing.

"Meanwhile, a pack of make-up girls and a group of kabuki performers came inside. Nobue had to kill her experience in stitches to look at the girls prepping up the kabuki performers. Meanwhile, the Strawberry Marshmallow girls continued to primp themselves up.

"This is impossible," said the head make-up girl to her team. "We'll never get all you guys done in time."

"Gomen nasai," said one of the senior performers, "but you'll have to do us first. It doesn't make any difference to the kids whether they're fixed or not." Catching a glimpse of Miu with the Beatles mop top, he said, "Eh? Now who's this person?"

In a crappy Liverpool accent, Miu said, "Uh, ahuhuhuh, my name's Johnny…do you want me to punch you in the groin as a public service announcement for senior citizens in Japan?"

"No…it can't be a ghost…" The man was more amazed than anything. He then politely said, "I'm sorry, but I will have to refuse."

"Listen, Miu," said Nobue, pulling the kid's ear, "behave yourself, or you'll be tasting the floor again. And Satake, take that wig off, it looks ugly on you."

Satake had a blonde wig on his head. Grandma put it on, but then she took it off.

But nothing flabbergasted Nobue that what she saw across the room. "Matsuri, what the hell are you up to?"

Matsuri was wearing an oversized afro with a few combs stuck in it for extra effect. "Page 6," she said, studying the pages of a manga phonebook in detail.

"You always fancied yourself as a daimyo, didn't you?" Miu said to the actor, interrogating him again.

Chika pulled off a Scarlett O'Hara accent by accident. "As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again…" Pointing with a hair dryer she said, "ZAP!"

In her Engrish, Ana said to a make-up girl, "You will not interfere with my ragged concept of personality, will you, lady?"  
"I wouldn't dare," she said, working on one of the Kabuki actors.

Miu walked over to Matsuri with the fake afro and the manga phonebook, and said, "Oh, she's reading Dengeki Daioh. That's a popular manga magazine, you know?"

Chika yelled to the heavens, "I will never be hungry again!" before falling down.

After observing all this, Grandma said, "In my considerate opinion, you're a bunch of lolis."

Sneering to Nobue, a bored Chika said, "Well, isn't that obvious?"

Striking a beach model pose, Miu said in a Marilyn Monroe tone, "You're just jealous! 3"  
Grandma exclaimed, "Why would I be…?" She was a loli once. And that was ages ago.

Nobue confronted Miu and said, "Leave her alone, Miu, or else I'll tell everyone…" and she finished in a whisper, "you've been pretending to date my younger sister!"

She gasped in horror. "No! You wouldn't….!"

"Heheheh. I would, though," she said heading out of the room to see what was going on. Miu looked at her with suspicion.

In a pressing-for-time look, Grandma said, "Look, I thought I was supposed to be getting a change of scenery, and so far, I've been in a plane and a room, a bus and a room, and a room and a room. Well, that might be all right for a bunch of powdered Lolita ragamuffins like you, but now I'm getting a nosebleed, so if you'll excuse me, I'll look for the women's room."

"What a dirty old lady," one of the showgirls in the room said.

"Ehe, don't press your luck," she said. "Excuse me." She zipped out the door.

"She's one of a group of old ladies who inherits a devoted affinity for ero, ecchi, fetishes, and h-games, among stuff" said Miu. "It's the reason some women and most men 50 or older are causing Japan to fall into economic shambles for years on end."

And she tasted the floor. "Ow," she said.

Across the room, Satake said to an appliance, "So, what a hair dryer like you going in a place like this?" It could only let out an old-school sweatdrop, and nothing more.

Nobue returned to the room, "Guys, they're nearly ready for you. They're just finishing the band call right now."

"Hot dog!" said Chika. "Here we go again."

As the four went back to the theater, Miu said to Nobue, "I say, darling did you to Akihabara? I was there in '03, you know." Naturally she didn't pay attention. To one of the make-up girls, she said, "Sunshine, I can you on stage."

"Ooooh! How?" she asked.

"Turn right at the corridor, and past the fire extinguisher."

"Arigato," she said. All the girls drove the make-up staff out of the room into the theatre in an act of class, while Nobue chuckled at the thought of it.

As they finished primping tem up, Ana and her girl were the last to go. She took a glimpse of a dummy donning the mop top Miu previously wore. She then said with a wink, "…and yours sucks, baby."

A modern dance company from Osaka was doing a run-through to a piano melody. Needless to say, this was one of the songs Ana Coppola wrote. Matsuri, quick to react, added a beat to it with a jangle.

As the piano stopped playing, Miu exclaimed, "Hey guys, I just had a wonderful idea. Let's do the show right here! Yaaay!"

"There goes Miu again," Chika said to Ana.

She replied, "Tell me about it." The two of them giggled.

Miu said, "Ichi, ni, ichi, ni, san, GO!"

And Strawberry Marshmallow played their song, "I'm Happy Just to Dance with Two." Ana was on the lead vocals, with Chika and Miu backing her up. The song was a simple public service announcement about three people being a company, and who could also keep a secret if two are dead. Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club Incorporated, send help.

_Before this dance is through,  
I think I'll love you two._

_I'm so happy that you danced with me._

_I don't want to kiss or hold your hands._

_If it's weird, then try to understand._

_There is really nothing else I'd rather do,_

_Cause I'm happy just to dance with two._

_I don't want to hug or hold you tight,_

_I just want to dance with two all night._

_In this life there's nothing I would rather do,_

_Cause I'm happy just to dance with two._

_Just to dance with two_

_Is everything I'll need._

_Before this dance is through,_

_I think I'll love you two. _

_I'm so happy that you danced with me._

_If somebody tries to take my place,_

_Let's pretend we just can't see her face._

_In this life there's nothing I would rather do,_

_Cause I'm happy just to dance with two._

_Just to dance with two_

_Is everything I'll need._

_Before this dance is through,_

_I think I'll love you two. _

_I'm so happy that you danced with me._

_And if somebody tries to take my place,_

_Let's pretend we just can't see her face._

_In this life there's nothing I would rather do,_

_I've discovered I'm in love with two,_

_Cause I'm happy just to dance with two._

"Well! You're a natural at singing, Ana," said Miu, slapping her on the back.

"Arigato," she replied.

"We try, guys." said Chika, who initiated high fives again. "We try."

Nobue went over and said, "All righty Strawberry crew, you know have a 90-minute break before you're needed back up again. But don't leave the convention center, all right?" Unfortunately, three of them were being carried off by members of another semi-famous boy band from Taiwan. "Oi! Are you listening? I'm talking to you especially, Miu! Remember, the final run-though is important! Don't miss it!"

"I'd like some coffee," replied Grandma.

Nobue looked for that darn dog. "Satake!"

"I'm just playing with these decibel controls," he said with a bark. "So many knobs."

Nobue noticed Matsuri looking idly. "Matsuri, can you escort Grandma backstage?"

Hesitantly, she said, "Fine. Grandma, let's go."

That left Nobue to step outside. She took her lighter, and another of those Mild Even cigarettes. Taking a puff, she gazed at the clear blue Okinawa sky. It was a moment's peace before the concert that would begin later that night.

Backstage at the convention center canteen, people were rushing in an out, many in cosplay uniforms of famous characters in video games and anime series old and new. A few, though, had time to kill, and so they killed it by reading books provided in the room, chatting on their notebook computers, or jotted down an anecdote of two in their respective diaries.

As for Matsuri and Grandma, the old lady would study Matsuri reading the July edition of Dengeki Daioh. As she studied the girl as she examined every page, she decided to make her move, although Matsuri tried to prevent her from doing it in vain.

"Will you look at that," Grandma said in disgust, "sitting there with her nose in that manga phonebook!"

"What's the matter with that?" she asked.

Taking the book from her, Grandma questioned to Matsuri, "Don't you have any natural resources of your own? Did your parents or friends rob you of that?"

She snatched it back, "You can learn a lot from manga. Now leave me alone."

"Really? A bunch of bollocks. You learn more by getting out there and seizing the day. Carpe diem."

"Out where?' she asked.

"Anywhere on this God-given planet…but no, not our little Matsuri-chan…no way! When you're not banging the drums for the weekend like that skank from the Hullaballoon TV show on BBC, Mr. Dodd Fundgrinch, you're torturing your sore eyes with that trash!"

"Manga's good," argued Matsuri.

"Living La Vida Loca is better," replied Grandma.

"Oh, you mean listening to that song? Isn't that so…7-8 years ago?"  
"I wasn't meaning the song; I was meaning you, Matsuri Sakuragi, enjoying life and partying like there is no tomorrow! And besides, Ricky Martin is so out of date."

"I wasn't taught that by my parents," she said. "And I am living, aren't I?"

'You're living? Think about it, child. When was the last time you gave a boy a box of chocolates? When was did you last flatter some bloke with that cat ears outfit and approach him seductively like the cat you are?"

"I…don't understand," said Matsuri, blushing. "I wasn't taught that by my parents. And also, aren't you a bit old to say that stuff, Grandma?"

"Matsuri-chan my memory of 72 years is more photogenic than that of my eldest granddaughter (and that's a fact, mind you)," she replied, "but all you have is that…manga phonebook! Ugh, what a waste of paper!"

"Mou," said Matsuri, "stop picking on me, Grandma. You're just as bad as the rest of the nagging old ladies I've seen in my life."

A light bulb went on. "So, you are a woman after all."

She was being a bit weary now. "I've been born that way; so what's your point?"

Getting up, she paced around in the manner of a college professor, mixed with Iago of Othello. "Do you think that I didn't notice? Did you think I was not aware of the pattern? You, poor unfortunate Peanut, the world has driven into that garbage of underpaid illustrators and storytellers, exploiting your true talent, and in turn, your true…maiden's aesthetic."

Matsuri somehow started to grasp what Grandma was saying. Here was the old lady, preaching like she was half her senior, and yet, the message was conveyed to her ears as a call for a revolution. "Dunno," she said.

"Humph. And your peers of this ugly, yet beautiful world are never happier when they jeer at you as if you were a manipulating demoness of the cold, cold heart type…and where would those rapscallions be without the steady support of your drum boy beat and wandering ferret? I inquire the question."

"Ah…I get it now."

"And the conclusion: What does it all come to in the end?"

"What is in it for me?" Matsuri asked herself.

"A manga phonebook!"

"Yeah…a cheap, worthless manga phonebook!" She threw it down with violence that some of the others looked over their shoulders for a split second before going back to their own affairs.

"There are other things to do with your life. Fly off to Monaco, or somewhere in the Mediterranean or Caribbean and elope with some princesses and duchesses walking down the pool bikini clad, and cast all of them under your maiden spell in your hotel bedroom, touching every part of your as if you were God, before you're in your 30's. I suppose every young prince, noble, and playboy in all four corners of the world will want to covet you for their own, because by then, our little Matsuri-chan has become the next sex symbol of Asia, outshining everyone else who dares to better! Who knows, you might be on a platform of a bed of roses, naked like that woman from Empire!"

"That's a bit interesting spiel you gave me, because I never thought that being an office lady or secretary might take up a lot of your time," Matsuri said.

"You're only right," she said with a nod.

"I'm never wrong." Getting up, and gathering her bag, she began to walk out.

"Matsuri, where are you going?" Grandma asked. "Did I say something wrong? Do you have any more questions?"

"No, not really," Matsuri said. She then struck a pose, pointing to the heavens, "I am going to get out there and live La Vida Loca! Bye!"

"Good luck, noble marshmallow," Grandma said with a salute. She then returned to reading some automobile magazine. "Hmmm…Maserati…I must drive one of those…"

Matsuri then walked back into the convention center lobby. Ana was walking the other way, and seeing Matsuri, she said, "Hey, an amazing thing happened to me. Would you like to know what it was?"  
"Not interested, Ana," came the reply. As Ana had a surprised look, Matsuri said, "Quit looking like you want to intentionally mess up your calligraphy. It's making you look like a gaijin for life."  
Ana was left to analyze what Matsuri meant. All she could cough up was a modest "Eh?"

Chika and Miu were chatting with a few schoolboy visitors from Tohoku who mad the flight down south to Okinawa.

"Hey Shota," said Miu to one of the visitors, "Did I tell you about when…" She was about to talk about the time when she stunk up one of the local bathhouses, much to Nobue's immediate disgust, when Matsuri walked in, "Well, here she is, the elementary schoolgirl wonder."

"Wait a minute," said Chika, "I thought you were looking after Grandma."

Matsuri took a photo of the situation with her yellow RAZR, and took off for the exit.

Chika and Miu were shocked. "We've only got 45 minutes to the final run-through," said Chika to her partner with the slanted eyebrow twitch. "Matsuri can't walk out on us now."

"Well, she's already done it," she replied in an oh-well gesture.

Ana then ran towards the group. "News flash," she said, catching her breath. "I don't know if you realized it, but you know what happened, right?"

"Maybe," Chika said.

"Your grandma brainwashed Matsuri."

"Sonna," she said. "No friggin' way,"

"She's given her visions of some outdated Ricky Martin song, as well as hypnotized her into being the next great Asian sex symbol or something."

"Grrr, that old confuser," said Chika with scorn. "Guys, we're going to have to set her right." And the three of them went outside the convention center to find Matsuri. As they got outside, she said, "Split up and look for her."

"UFO Discovery, we've become a limited company," said Miu.

"I'm going to look inside again," said Ana, reentering the lobby. Miu and Chika went opposite directions to look for her.

Okinawa had come to Matsuri, and all she did was wander about, taking photos of shisa, as well as take pictures of the beach. She decided to take a shuttle down to nearby Naha to look around. As Matsuri took photo upon photo of Naha, a few young fan boys noticed immediately who she was. Matsuri had to hide in an alleyway to prevent her from being fondled incessantly by those dirty, smelly IchiMashi fan boys.

Pacing down the block again, she saw a shop that specialized in cosplay outfits. Walking inside the store, Matsuri saw a pint-sized version of the outfit of Mina from Getsumen To Heiki Mina, complete with bunny wars, orange contacts, and carrot cannons at the cottontail bottoms. Looking at her appearance, all she wore was a plain petticoat, a cheap blouse, a long skirts and brown moccasins. She was able to trade for them without paying a single yen, primarily because the shopkeeper knew how she was.

Matsuri exited the store, looking exactly like a younger version of Mina, even donning the orange contacts that made her eyes orange, rather than brown. The only difference was that she was wearing her trademark glasses. It was a good thing the carrot ends were made so that they never tore off from the outfit. In fact, it was made so that nothing separated from the costume. It did fit well on Matsuri, and passers by smiled, knowing that message boards like 2channel were never dead.

Heading to one of the beaches outside Naha, Matsuri round a small round ball that someone left yesterday. It was a bit heavy, so with two hands, she threw it into the ocean, where it floated away.

A policeman on a bike said, "You know better than to throw objects into the sea, kid."

Matsuri said, "Oyaji!" and then walked down the beach, where she saw a hula hoop. It was red, with a white stripe.

Tossing it, a young brown-haired girl of her age, sporting a single ponytail, and a pink overall skirt over a yellow blouse said to Matsuri, "Hey, that's my hoop, stop playing with it."

"This isn't a hoop," she said. "It's a piece of firearms. Do you have a license for it?"

She giggled and said, "You're funny."

"Honestly," Matsuri replied in slight exasperation, "A girl of your age, throwing hula hoops at people. How old are you?"

"Twelve," she said.

"You're probably eleven and a half."

"Eleven and three-fourths, to be exact."

"Oh, you're about the same age as me. Don't throw this hula hoop at people. Use it to swing your hips, like this." She demonstrated. Here was Mina-er, Matsuri as Mina, swinging her hips with a hula hoop, in spite of the carrots sticking out of her behind. She had to use her waist.

"Wow…amazing! I should try that."

She giggled. "Yeah, you should."

"You know what?" the girl said. "You can have it. It's a present from me,"

"It is. Arigato. Oh, I wanted to ask, aren't you supposed to be at school?"

"No, actually, me, my older brother, and his friends who I'm with are on summer vacation."

"Sou ka," Matsuri said. "Who are you with?"

"Let's see…" Counting with her fingers, she said, "there's me, my brother Kyon, Mikuru, Yuki, Itsuki, and Haruhi."

"Haruhi? Oh, Haruhi, Suzumiya, right?"

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"You're actually taking time off from filming in Hyogo-ken for your show to come here."

"That's correct. Me, my brother, and the others are well known here, so we were able to get a break. It feels nice not to have to do some acting for a while," she said with a wide smile.

"And you know all these people, your brother included?"

"Yep."

"It's not the same if they're not around, isn't it?"

"It's all right, I guess."

Walking down the boardwalk, Matsuri then said, "What are you brother and his friends like?"

Enthusiastically, she explained. "Well, first let's start with my brother. He's a down-to-earth person. He prefers to live a simple life, without being thrown into a whole new dimension. That's my brother. Yuki loves to read books…"

"Books? Like manga?"

"No, books as in sci-fi novels or the supernatural. She lives and breathes by this. She's also a good strategist when it comes to playing computer games. If you have Yuki on your side, you'll never lose. She made the school's Computer Club look like a bunch of amateurs one time. Mikuru has a good figure with, I think, a size J bust, and because of that, is fit to wear different outfits, like nurse, maid, frog, bunny, and that's just scratching the surface.

"Itsuki is a bubbly guy. He likes to hit on my brother. Sometimes I get the feeling that he's gay, but he likes Mikuru more than my brother, so I guess that's all right. When Itsuki grows up, he's a person you'll want to have a few drink with. At least that's what my brother says."

"Ohhh. And what about Haruhi?"

"Haruhi? Oh, you'll love her. She's an animated person, always excited about something, dramatic when something terrible happens, fiery when she's mad…Haruhi has a lot of talents. She can play guitar and piano, she can sing…and she plays a lot of sports, like track & field and tennis…oh, and when it comes to academics, she's at the top of the Dean's List when it comes to people with the highest academic standing. So she's a really cool person. At least that's what my brother says.

"Oh, and my brother is Haruhi's boyfriend, too. He says he like to see her wear a ponytail. I think he's lucky to have a girlfriend like Haruhi. He's probably the happiest man in the world right now."

'Wow," Matsuri said. "Congratulations."

She giggled. "Why aren't you at school?"

"I'm on summer vacation, too." Kyon's sister didn't know that she was speaking to a member of a band that would be playing at a concert in 4 or 5 hours.

"Ahhhh." She giggled again.

"Oi, get over here," said a man in the distance. He was wearing a vest over a black shirt, and jeans, and wearing a silver watch..

"We'll leave you behind," said a bubbly female one. She was wearing a beige jacket over an orange shirt, with a pink skirt. On her head was a yellow ribbon.

Matsuri and Kyon's sister looked ahead. "Oh, there they are," the latter said.

She recognized them "So that's your brother and his girlfriend Haruhi, right?"

"Yep! I gotta go!" She ran off, waving back at Matsuri. "See ya!"

"Bye," Matsuri said, waving. With a smile, she took off for some more sightseeing of Naha. John peeked out from her handbag, curious about the change in scenery, and then went back inside to do more sleeping. A voice of good reason over the lifeguard speakers said, "Come out, February 6, your time is up."

It was a grim situation in the control room, where Mr. Asuna, Nobue, and Satake were detaining Grandma.

"I'm sorry, kids, I didn't mean it, honest," Grandma said.

"If she says that again," Mr. Asuna said in an aside to Nobue, "I'll strike her."

"They're good kids, Mr. Asuna," she replied. "They'll be back."

But he was unconvinced of her argument. "But we've only got thirty minutes to the final run-though."

"I didn't mean any harm," Grandma said. "I just wanted Matsuri-chan to enjoy herself, that's all."

"God knows what you've unleashed on the island of Okinawa, of all places, Grandma!" exclaimed Nobue straight in Grandma's face. "It'll be the samba, the rumba, and the mambo no. 5 for Matsuri once she's got the taste for it."

"And that's just barely scratching the surface," Satake said.

To her dog, Nobue plainly said in a monotone manner, "Urusai."

Her stomach snarling like a lion, Matsuri went over to a local izakaya that sold okonomiyaki. She decided to ask the chef to make her one in the style of that made in Hiroshima. As she took a bite of the entrée made of layers of flour batter, cabbage, bacon, squid, octopus, cheese, yakisoba, eggs, and a hatful of okonomiyaki sauce, she made a face that looked like she was about to hurl the digested contents onto the floor.

"That was fresh just now," the izakaya manager said. "550 yen." Taking out her wallet from one of the cases on her uniform, Matsuri paid accordingly before finishing the rest of the okonomiyaki, which became an acquired taste for her.

The izakaya had a dart board, a billiards table, and a few pachinko machines. Matsuri decided to take a stab at the dart board. Taking three darts that were already at the board, she threw the first one, which hit a sandwich a customer was holding. She threw the second one, which broke a glass of Asahi another customer was abut to drink. The last one hit the bulls-eye, but the resident parrot saw enough of this, and said, "Take her out, take her out, awk! Take her out, take her out, awk!"

"Right…on your way," the manager said.

"Huh?" she asked.

"You heard me. Get the hell out of here you troublemaker!"

The customers, all of who were male, slowly moved towards Matsuri. She then screamed and ran out of the izakaya with her belongings, John hanging on for dear life. Bumping into a vendor, who crashed into a few cyclists touring the city, Matsuri kept running for dear life.

A resident policeman of the city took note of this. This scantily clad girl was nothing but trouble.

Chika reentered the convention lobby, still looking for Matsuri. Without a second thought, she went into the rehearsal room, where a young boy dressed in an evening suit and a top hat practiced his lines. Closing the door, it was just the two of them.

The boy said to Chika, "If I believed you, ojou-sama, I might do those things you do and walk the way you do, only to find myself on the Cross Road. But, I cannot believe what you say, because, my dearest, all these things you reveal to be are a grounds for your infidelity and manipulation to make me one of your own. I cannot bear it."

Moving about like an unpaid ballroom dancer from Indonesia, he saw Chika, with an impressed look. "Oh my god!" he said.

Laughing, she said, "Go ahead, do the next part."

"Get out! You've spoiled it."

"I did. Oh, I'm sorry I spoke. Excuse my intrusion," she said with a bow. But she stood there.

"Are you supposed to be here?" the boy asked.

She grabbed his tie with a smile. "I've got you worried, haven't I?" She let go.

"I'm warning you," the boy said, "they'll be back in a minute."

"And who is this 'they'?" asked Chika. "'They' don't worry me at all. I like listening to you, that's all, but if it worries you, I guess…"

"You're from Tokyo, aren't you?" said the boy in amazement.

"How'd you know?" came an ironic response of indifference.

"It's in the way you approach yourself," he said.

"It is?" she asked, in the tone of a shy virgin about to make out for the first time.

"Are you trying to pull my leg?"

Raising his chin with her right hand, Chika said, "Something like that."

"I see." She let go. "You must like drama, don't you?"

"Of course. Let's sit down." The two of them sat on a bench in the room. "I took drama at my elementary school, but when my teacher said those lines, it sounded so…you know, adult and stuff. It sounds cho-kawaii on a girl."

"Cho-kawaii?"  
"Irresistible, memorable, like that! You want to hug that person because she'll be forever young in your heart."

"Arigato."

"I don't need praise. How about giving me a few more lines from your play, guy?"

He pouted.

"But you don't slam the door in people's facing of something, do you? I mean, what about that part when you play the tragic hero, and thousands of people watch you on stage, dying when your love asks for your last words?"

"Um…I think…"

"I suppose you're the understudy of something," said Chika.

"No, I'm actually just an extra in a ballroom scene. I just wanted to do a monologue."

"A monologue, huh? You are an actor, aren't you?" She was impressed by his passionate interpretation of the lines.

"Of course."

"I knew you would be one of them."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"The way you were saying, like…" She had to do this in a Scarlett O'Hara fashion, causing them to fall to the floor, Chika on top of him. "'I cannot believe what you say, because, my dearest, all these things you reveal to be are a grounds for your infidelity and manipulation to make me one of your own. I cannot bear it…' Like that."

"Memorable, huh?"

"Immortalized." They got back up and sat down to continue talking.

"But the way you did it was too much like Vivian Leigh."

"Nothing wrong with acting like someone from the 30's, 'Gone with the Wind' and all that," Chika said. "It's a memorable role, Scarlett O'Hara. Legend has it in my second life, I was her."

He laughed. "But she's not a real person at all."

"Actors and actresses don't act like real people unless they play as themselves, right?"

"I guess," he said, twiddling his plastic cane.

"I don't know, they probably aren't, you think?" she said smugly.

"What are you?" he said with a snicker.

"I'm a member of this group of four, and we're a band. We play and sing where we're not going to school and lying around idly. All four of us are good friends, and go to the same school."

"I bet you don't sound like real people."

"We do. Singing is different from acting in that your true feelings are expressed through music. Every note comes from your heart, and it's a special feeling. It's a moe aesthetic."

"Is it really a moe aesthetic, or are you just saying that in your own P.R. attempt to kiss up to those who are joshikousei?"

"Why would it be the latter you just said? Look," Chika said, getting up to lecture, "I wouldn't do it for P.R. unless I was somebody I wasn't. I'm lucky I'm getting paid to do this with the others because I'm saving the money for college. I'm in my last year of elementary school, and while I'm doing well in class, high school and college is expensive. I have an older sister who is also our manager, and she is the one who gives us our paychecks for our use. She uses her share for Mild Even cigarettes and beer, but you don't need to know that." He laughed, and she continued, "I love to sing and play because it's a release from the usual roles I have to play at home and in the classroom. It's like I'm my own person, and I love every minute of it! All that and a box of Petit Cheese, too!"

"I enjoy acting for only myself, and myself alone," said the boy. "I hate it when other people are let in, you know?"

"Why? What are you, scared about the real world, or are you just selfish?"

"Why selfish?"

"Well," Chika explained, "for example, you have to have people taste your chocolate cookies. I like to make desserts when I'm at home." He had a surprised look. "I'm not crazy, uh…what's your name?"

"Naota," he said.

"Naota. Okay. Anyway, Naota, I'm not crazy when I say this. I first started learning how to make desserts when I was 10. The first thing I learned to do was make cookies. When the cookies were done, my older sister would say, 'Okay, share it with the others.' And I'd do so, and the others enjoyed the cookies." Pausing a bit, she continued, "Anyway, I was walking down Memory Lane, but in the end, I gave all my cookies to my friends, and my older sister, without getting one for myself. I didn't mind, because I wanted everyone to sample what I did.

"But that's my point. You want people to see what talent you have because if no one sees the potential you have, it's just wasted talent. Then you shouldn't have even pursued an acting career in the first place, because when you're an actor, you want to prove people you can be somebody you're not really well that you could pass for that person."

He nodded in approval. "I guess, but I don't make desserts. How would you those lines of mine?"

"Well, for starters let's look at the character," Chika said. She looked at her script. "For starters, he's a person that loves to show his beautiful side, but isn't prepared to go through the cycle of a relationship. At this point in the play, he doesn't want to admit the fact that she loves him, dismissing it as nothing more that appeasement. Basically, your character overanalyzes what is going on, and as a result, he can't express his feeling in return because of fear that he will be rejected.

"That said, his age must be that of a young teenager feeling the pressure of the role of lover. You need to understand this, and then it becomes easier to express your lines the way the character would convey it in real life."

"I see. Arigato."

"Doitashimashite. Remember, you're doing this for those people down there." Chika pointed to the people queuing up for the show later tonight.

"Those people?"

"Yeah, those guys in line. I'll tell you another story, this time about my sister. You know she's a chain smoker and drinker right?"  
"Um, yeah?"

"Well, she told me when she was in junior high school, she would be idolized by some of the people in her class. But when she was approached by a male students, she would launch this spinning flying kick to send him flying across the hall into one of the lockers. The poor fella had a few broken bones, and because of that, she was expelled and transferred to a different junior high school, where she never got into those types of situations."

He nodded.

"But the thing about my sister is that she loves to help people out. At the second junior high school she was in, and in senior high school, she did a lot of community service. It's like in your case of acting. If you showed what you can do to let's say, that person," Chika explained, pointing to an old man sitting by a lamppost like a bum, "he's going to be happy for the rest of his long life. You've touched that guy's heart. By the time he gets to heaven, he's taking the Cloud 9."

"I can?"

"Of course, but it's up to you to take the initiative."

"Oh…but I don't know."

"You won't be penalized in life for trying your best to make your best impression on someone. You will be penalized if you don't. That's what my sister said to me a while back."

"Okay," said Naota. "Arigato for your vote of confidence."

"And by the way, I've see that play before."

"You have?"

"And I know how the ending goes. At the end, both of them kiss, and enjoy their company. Your character has an increased level of confidence in him and others. That kiss she would give you would give him that increased level, because she believed in him, and that made him to believe in himself. Your character has proven to be the real hero of the play. And the two of them get married, but not without some comedy, and a finale dance number by al members of the cast. Can you dance?"

"Sure. Tap and ballroom." He did a few taps, before taking Chika by the hand and gliding her across the floor. For a few minutes, she was feeling the role of the hero's lover, too.

At the end of the dance, he said, "Honto arigato for giving me the strength to get out there and show that I am one of the best at my profession. I will never forget you."

"I should leave too, and check with the others. Farewell, Naota."

"Wait a minute," he said to her. "Who are you?"

At the doorway, she looked back with a movie star pose, and said, "Chika Itoh, bassist, Strawberry Marshmallow." She blew him a kiss, and ran off.

Naota stood at the open doorway. He had been talking with one of the members of Strawberry Marshmallow! He would remember that experience for the rest of his life as he smiled, before exiting himself to look for his other cast members of the play.

Backstage at the theatre, Nobue and Satake waited for the four girls to arrive. Holding a Mild Even cigarette feebly, she said, "Oi, Satake."

"Huh?" he answered, looking up.

"Worry, will ya!"

He covered his eyes as he whimpered accordingly.

Mr. Asuna walked toward them, and said, "Well, that's it…five minutes to final run-through…they're bound to miss it."

"I'll murder that Miu," Nobue said lividly, taking another puff.

"But still, we can survive a missed run-through, as long as…"

Satake finished him, saying, "…as long as they end up for the show. Oh yeah, they would really be screwed if they didn't end up here for the show, right?" Mr. Asuna was alarmed.

"Urusai, Snoopy!" shouted Nobue at Satake. He covered his ears.

Going back to the two, Mr. Asuna said, "No, this can't be happening, you don't think…?"

"Daijobu, don't worry about it, Mr. Asuna," Nobue said with a few hesitant laughs.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, those idiots cannot do that to me." Pointing to Nobue, he said, "This is all your fault." Before she could respond, he added, "Ohhhh yes it is, and if these little runts don't show, I wouldn't in your shoes for all the…"

Satake finished him, "...for all the sata andagi made in Japan. You know what? You're right; neither would I."

Nobue gave a swift kick to Satake in the abdomen. "You stupid dog! I hate you!"

He replied feebly, "I'm sorry."

Mr. Asuna added, "Yes, both of you should be sorry." He was given a pretty strong kick in the groin. "Owww! What the hell was that for?"

With her hands on her hips, Nobue pouted. "Humph!"

Miu, Chika, and Ana started to walk back to the backstage area where a suffering Mr. Asuna, Nobue, and Satake were waiting. "H, I, J, K, L, M, N…" said Miu before seeing Mr. Asuna clutching his groin, at which she said, "Director."

"Oi, Miu," said Nobue, before realizing that they were back. She shouted, "Miu!"

"Did you need something," asked Ana, "like another pack of Mild Evens?" She handed her a pack, at which she quickly snatched it. "Well, that was fast."

"I could have eaten all of you alive," Nobue said in relief.

"Well, you look great with a bale of Pocky in your mouth," Miu said. She hit the floor hard, and tasted concrete.

Gathering himself up, the pain gone, Mr. Asuna said to the three, "Do you realize you could have missed the final run-though?"

"Sorry, Mr. Asuna," Ana said.

"That's okay. As long as you're here, that's what matters," he said with a forced smile.

"Wait a minute," said Satake. "Nobue, there's only three of them."

"Yeah," Chika said, "we were looking for Matsuri, but we figured she would return here soon."

"Well," said Mr. Asuna, who cleared his throat before continuing, "Do you realize that we are on the air, live, in 50 minutes, and you're one short?"

Getting back up, Miu said, "Control yourself or you'll explode. She must be here somewhere," she added, looking about the area.

"Let's try the dressing room," said Nobue. "Satake, let's go."

"Of course, the dressing room," said Mr. Asuna. Everybody headed in one direction.

"But what about Grandma, big sis?" asked Chika to Nobue.

"She can look after herself," she replied soothingly.

"If you say so," she said. But naturally, she had her doubts.

Grandma, wearing a "Get your genuine autographed Strawberry Marshmallow photographs!" sign, held a large stack of photographs. He yelled out to the boys in the queue, "Personally signed and handwritten by your own sweet darlings. The chance of a lifetime! Be the envy of your less fortunate otaku brothers!"

The boys started to grab some of the photos Grandma was holding, but a couple of policemen forced the boys back to the queue, and then took Grandma, who was still clutching some photos, into the police car to the nearby station in Naha.

And back in Naha, Matsuri was wandering down a construction site, still clad in her Mina getup. Some of the construction workers looked suspiciously at her, who looked so adorable to fondle, it was criminal. A salary man from Fukuoka was also following him, but there were some potholes.

She found a large rag on one of the scaffolds, and used it to keep the person clean without getting mud in his shoes. Another hole, and she covered accordingly for the young suited tycoon. Unfortunately, the third hole was a deep pothole, and he fell inside.

Matsuri whistled as to not be responsible for that, but a policeman caught her and said, "Got you, you pesky little brat."  
"Are? Nani?" Matsuri exclaimed in shock. "Sonnya." She was taken to the police station that was a block away from the construction site.

The policeman had to drag Matsuri to the police box. "Look, I'm Matsuri Sakuragi…I've got a show to do in a few minutes. You've got to let me go…I'm Matsuri!"

"Sure, that's what they all say these days," said the tall officer. "Look, I don't care what festival you are, you can save that for the prefecture judge. Sergeant, here she is."

The sergeant, in his 50's, and wearing thick square frames, said, "Mmm, what is she?"  
"I have a list here, Sergeant." He read it, "I've got a little list here. She was wandering abroad, with sleazebag intent, and acting in a Lolita-style manner. As well as, conduct liable to cause men's noses to bleed profusely…you name it, she's done it."

"Oh, a little savage, is she?"

"Yeah, a proper little Amy Fisher."

"I demand to see my solicitor," Matsuri said with a frown.

"What's the girl's name?" the sergeant asked.

Distraught, she said, "Ehhh, do I really have to repeat it again?"

No sooner had she begged the question, when a couple of fellow policemen dragged Grandma inside. "Hello," said the Sergeant, "it's going to be one of those summer nights, is it? Sit Marcie Mina Johnson over there, will you?" The officer holding Matsuri did so.

"Well boys, you got me here, so do your worst, but I'll take one of you down with me," Grandma said, kicking one of the officers. "I know what you're up to, you get me in the tiled room and out come the lie detector of all things with the rubber hoses, but I'll defy you still."

"Oh, there's a fire, is there?" the sergeant asks with surprise.

"You ugly brute," Grandma says, "you have sado-masochism stamped all over your bloated otaku kisser."

"Ehhh?" he asked incredibly.

"I'll go on a hunger strike. I know what you'll do. The sucker-punch and the paper fan slap. The Nth Degree and the Kamehameha."

"What has this lady been watching?"

She raised her voice like Hitler. "I'm a daughter of the Empire! You'll need the super-long rattan cane on this boyo." She then sang, "Okoranaide ne okoranaide, suki ni sasete ne, otona ni wa wakannai suteki kiseki kanpeki…"

"Oh, get this Barasui fanatic seated next to the freak in the usamimi and carrots while I sort this thing out, will you?"

"Okay, ma'am, sit here," said one of the officers, seating Grandma next to an embarrassed Matsuri. "Arigato."

"You again?" Matsuri whimpered.

"Matsuri, my little scout!" Grandma exclaimed, hugging her and crying. "Haha! So, they grabbed you for the metal frame, did they?"

"I don't think I'm a voluntary patient for that," she replied.

"Shhh. Have they roughed you up in the buttocks yet?"

"Ehhhhhh?" she exclaimed.

She whispered, "Any time you commit offenses like that, you are caned accordingly depending on the offense. And they add up. No more that 24 strokes. This isn't BDSM; it's for real."

Matsuri began to cry. "D….doushiyou? Eto…."

"So that's it, huh?" said the sergeant to his officers.

"Only one of us has got to get out of her. I'll go get the girls. I'll be back for you."  
"Me?" Matsuri said, still aghast at the thought of being caned by these officers. With rattan, no less!

"And if they have you strapped to the frame naked, bite down hard."

"But these people seem like nice guys," Matsuri said, studying them.

"They want you to think that way, but they're villains. That's what the police are."

"Would you two like some Benoist green tea?" asked the sergeant, offering a teapot, with some rice crackers.

"You see," Grandma said, "Sly villains."

Getting up, Matsuri said, "Gomen ne, sergeant-san, sir, but I don't want any tea right now, onegai. Arigato, ehehehehe." And then she immediately bowed and sat back down.

"So," the sergeant said to the officers, "you brought the old lady out of the crowd for good measure, I presume?"

"Well," one of the officers said, "She was starting to be a bit unruly, so we had to bring her in here."

The sergeant nodded. "She can't stop here, then. So," examining the photos, "this is what she's been giving to the people in the queue, huh?" Suddenly, his nose started to bleed profusely.  
"Sergeant!" said one of the officers. "Are you bleeding?"

Blocking his nostrils with tissue paper, he said, "I'm just fine, gentlemen, fine and dandy."

"Ehhh?" Matsuri said, looking at the police sergeant, who was bleeding from seeing the photos.

"Well, my daughter," said Grandma, "It's now or never." Getting up on her feet, she said, "All right, you underpaid assassins. Lady Fuzuki Itoh of the Itoh Combine, and grandmother of Nobue and Chika Itoh of Strawberry Marshmallow will give you a run for you 500-yen coin!" She dashed off quickly.

"Hey, lady, you forgot your photographs!" one of the officers said. As he and the other policemen looked at the photos of the four girls, blood also started to splash out of their nose, too.

"Sergeant…" they said, "We need tissues."

"Your noses are bleeding too?" he said. "Here." He handed them the box of tissues.

Matsuri was stunned, and scared, at what was going on. How did those guys get insane nosebleeds from looking at the photos of the band? She thought to herself, saying, "D….doushiyou…?" Was there any hope for her to get back to Ginowan and get ready for the concert? She placed her trust in Grandma Fuzuki Itoh to fix the situation.

"Only half an hour," said Mr. Asuna to the three girls in the control room of the theater, "and you're on!"

"Can I say something?" asked Ana to break the silence.

"Anything will do."

"Well, it's very unlikely that we will be on the air, because of time and all that, and Matsuri's antics, and when you combine all of that together…"

"Shhhhh!" said Chika and Miu to Ana. They didn't want her to discourage Mr. Asuna's integrity.

"G…gomen."

Grandma was able to run all the way from Naha to Ginowan in a few minutes' time, where the queue to enter the building was still increasing.

"Get out of here you brats," a guard said to a few first-grade hooligans who were taken away from the line.

Grandma ignored the kids, and then tried to get inside, but the security guard caught him and said, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Go home."

"But I must see Chika!" she said in urgency.

"Go ahead and see her on the telebi," he said.

Now she was riled. But opportunity knocked in the form of those kids. Seeing the three first-graders, she politely said, "Hey brats, can you keep him at bay?"

"Of course," said the first one.

"100 yen," said the second.

"Each," said the third.

"You mercenaries," she said, as she handed them each a 100-yen coin. The boys then took a bucket, and crowned in on the guard's head, covering his face. He then chased the boys out into the alley, while Grandma got inside.

Unfortunately, some of the convention security attendants were chasing her. She proved too fast, though, a testament to her physical fitness, and used the sound boom trolley to whack some of them several feet away from the stage.

"Guys, leave the old lady alone," Mr. Asuna said to the attendants, and they left to go back to their posts.

"Chika!" Grandma said, "Get over here."

"Grandma!" she exclaimed. Miu, Ana, Satake, and Nobue followed her onto the stage. "Where's Matsuri?"

"The police have the poor girl in the koban in downtown Naha."

"NAHA?" exclaimed the others.

"It's only 10 minutes from here, if you can run," said Grandma.

"Kuso…guys, let's get her back!" said Miu, "Chaaaarge!"

She, Ana, and Chika stormed off, with the latter saying, "Why me?"

"But," Mr. Asuna said, "We've only got…twenty minutes."

One, though, must never underestimate the power of Strawberry Marshmallow. These girls could run. Heck, you put them in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 or even the 800; they will finish 1-2-3-4 in any race. Not even the 100-meter world record holders of the world could catch up to these girls. When they ran, they RAN! They would get to the koban in less than 5 minutes.

Getting Matsuri, still donning her Mina outfit, they girls ran, the officers in pursuit down the streets of Naha, with passers-by scratching their heads at what was unfolding in south Okinawa. The catch, though, Matsuri was last, but had to catch up with the others. Little did she know that the cosplay outfit's carrot ends allowed her to fly a little bit through the air without her doing anything. Matsuri was scared at it, but it allowed her to catch up with the other three in less that a minute.

"Heheheh," said a car thief who suspiciously looked like some famous person from Osaka in a familiar outfit. "Okay. I am now ready to steal this Okinawan's car HOOOOOO!" But when the girls were being chased by the police, he dropped down behind the car so that they can't see him.

Having hit a dead end, the four girls ran the opposite way. The imposter tried to break into the car, but as the girls and the police ran the opposite direction, he fell down, fearing his life. "This seems to be a difficult situation FOOOO!" Unfortunately for him, some of his fans saw him, and he was being chased by a mob of his supporters. "Uh oh, carjacking mission failed HOOOOOO!" he yelled as he was being chased. And unfortunately for them, they were chasing the wrong person. "Somebody help me HOOOOO!"

As the four girls and the policemen got back to the station, they had to catch their breaths. "What's all this?" the sergeant asked.

"Hold on until we catch our breath," said Miu.

"Are you guys all right?"

"Yeah. Ready…"

"BREAK!" said the four, and they left the koban for the last time, chased by 100 police officers. They ran down the streets of Naha, onto the road leading to Ginowan and the Convention Center. Smartly, they went through the back, as to avoid the queue, plagued by heat, thirst, and irritability. They ran onto the dressing room, collapsing on the floor.

"Water…" asked Miu. "Water…!"

Nobue said, "Thank Kami-sama that you made it." With a heavy sigh of relief, she asked, "Where Matsuri."

"Over here," Chika said, pointing to the girl in the mina outfit with the bag. John got out, and collapsed in relief.

"Hallelujah!" Nobue said with a laugh. "But what's with the Mina outfit, Matsuri."

"Eto, eto, eto…I thought it just looked cute, that's all."

"Well, we'll change you into something looser. Where are those drinks?" she asked, calling out to the attendants.

"These girls need some water?" one of the attendants said. "We have PowerAde."

"That's better," she said, "Give them that."

As the four gulped down the nectar of re-hydration with some sandwiches, Mr. Asuna said, "Girls, you don't know what this would have meant to me, if you didn't come back. It would have been the end…or the 19 o'clock news in Korea for life.

"Oi, aren't you supposed to be in that box?" Nobue said, pointing to the control room.

"That's right. Thank you, Ms. Itoh. You are the best." And with that, he dashed off to his spot to get ready.

"And another thing," said Chika, "Where is that old confuser?"

"Here, Chika," said Grandma, walking to her.

"Well, I got a few things to say to you, Itoh Fuzuki-obaa-chan…"

Miu placed a hand on Chika's right shoulder. "Leave her alone. She's back, right?" she said with a smile. "And it's not her fault she's old."

"But what's that got to do with it, Miu? She's a troublemaker and a confuser, and that's all there is to it."

"Yes, but he's only asking us to pay attention to her, deshou?" Chika nodded. Turning to Grandma, she said, "You see, the trouble for you, Itobaa-chan, is that you should have gone west to America already by now. You would have become one of the most famous people in San Francisco, and also became an advocate for Japanese Americans in the US. And with your money, you would start a lot of successful charity organization there. Instead, you decided to stay here in smoggy Japan, and consequently, tagged along with us to Okinawa at Nobue's request. And the reason: you're just a wealthy, but lonely, old woman from Tokyo."

"And I'm a bit dirty, too," she said, nodding.

"Then here's what you should do: Quit bossing us around and let us enjoy our youth. I personally don't want somebody to tell me to do this or that, when I want to see the world for myself. Chika, Ana, Matsuri, and probably Nobue know that as well. I want you to let us enjoy being young while it lasts. Because one day, it will be gone forever (although for Nobue it already is), and decades later, we'll be in your shoes. And we'll be falling into the pit of bossing our grandchildren around.

"Itobaa-chan, let us be who we are. We're young, we're free, and we're full of energy. And I think we want that to continue, without restraints, for the rest of our lives. I know you probably thought the same way, too, when you were young." She put her hands on Grandma's shoulders. "Will you promise us you'll do that?"

She smiled, "Yes, my granddaughter Miu."

"Give me a hug." Grandma gave her a hug that made the pink blushes show more than ever.

"That's Miu Matsuoka for you," said Chika, slapping her friend on the back.

"Eh? What did I do?" she asked to her, Ana, and Matsuri.

"You're more than just annoying," Ana said. "You love to give great advice!"

"I do?" She was lightly alarmed.

"You'd better believe it!" Matsuri said with a wink.

"Oh my god…UFO Discovery!" Well she just had to laugh.

"Oi, Miu," Nobue said towering over the twin tailed smart-aleck, "What's this about me losing my youth already?"

"Eh? Oh crap…" She tasted the floor.

Satake barked, and said, "Hey girls, we have your outfits that you'll use at the concert. Over here!" The outfits simply consisted on a white blouse with spaghetti straps joined by a strawberry button, paired with a skirt of a different color, corresponding to each band member's favorite color. Miu's was red, Chika's was light blue, Matsuri's was green, and Ana's was purple.

"Get changed quickly, guys," Nobue said, and the girls were off to the dressing room to get changed.

"I just realized something," Satake said.

"What?"

"It's not that you're taller than I am. It's because I'm a dog and you're a human."

Nobue exploded a bit saying, "So what the hell is your point then? Quit saying the obvious, you smarty-alecky mongrel!"

The dog just had to laugh, with a few loud barks. He ran to him, and Nobue hugged and petted him, as he continued to bark. And then she laughed.

Well, for the island of Okinawa, and the world, the concert would be beginning soon.

The theater in the Okinawa Convention Center could only seat 1,709, but some extra seating in the back allowed 1,800 diehard supporters of Strawberry Marshmallow to enter. The others, who were 2,000 strong, had to see it on giant screens located outside the convention center to see the concert. Note that this didn't add the millions all over Asia who would see it on NHK, and other national networks in countries outside of Japan. The only area outside of Asia that could see the event live was in Cornwall, England, where the local broadcast companies agreed with NHK to simulcast the concert from Okinawa. Of course, it was early morning in Cornwall, but the residents there, and probably from other parts of the United Kingdom and Europe, gathered in the country pubs and theatres to watch the concert.

Inside the theatre, boys were screaming like girls, and girls were screaming like babies. It was loud, because they knew their heroes were going to be on stage. After a few minutes of waiting, the four of them walked as one onto the stage, to the roar of the crowd. Miu, Chika, and Ana had their instruments set up, while Matsuri, dressed in a special green nekomimi outfit for this event, walked to her drum set, her gold-plated sticks on hand.

The girls would play four songs for this concert. The first number was called "Why, Oh, Why." This was some song Chika and Miu wrote up out of boredom.

_Why, Oh, Why, did I,_

_I ever lie to you?_

_Why, Oh, Why, did I,_

_I ever lie to you?_

_Well, I gave you everything I can,_

_But you left me sitting down at home._

_Why'd you have to treat me oh so bad,_

_All I do is hit the floor and moan._

_Why, Oh, Why, did I,_

_I ever lie to you?_

_Why, Oh, Why, did I,_

_I ever lie to you?_

_If it's something that I said I'd done,_

_Tell me what and I'll apologize._

_If you don't, I really can't go on,_

_Holding back these tears in my eyes._

_Why, Oh, Why, did I,_

_I ever lie to you?_

_Why, Oh, Why, did I,_

_I ever lie to you?_

_Now I'm really on my bended knees,_

_If you only listen to my pleas,_

_Is there something that I would rather do?  
Cause I really can't stand that_

_I'm so in love with two…_

After their second number, "Did I Fall?" was their third number, "I Could Have Been Better," another song written by Chika and Miu. During most of this concert, Grandma was handcuffed to Nobue, and they were sitting dead center on the first tier of seats.

_I could have been better_

_With a boy like you,_

_Cause you would love_

_Everything that I do._

_And you do, hey hey hey,_

_And you do._

_Whoa-oa, I never realized_

_What a kiss could be,_

_This could never happen to me,_

_Can't you see?_

_Can't you see?_

_Cause when I tell you that I want you, oh,_

_You're gonna say you'll want me too, oh,_

_And when I ask you to be mi-i-i-ne,_

_You're gonna say you'll want me too._

_So, oh, I, should have realized _

_A million things before,_

_If this is lust, you gotta give me moe,_

_Give me moe, hey hey hey,_

_Give me moe._

_Whoa-oa, I never realized_

_What a kiss could be,_

_This could never happen to me,_

_Can't you see?_

_Can't you see?_

_Cause when I tell you that I want you, oh,_

_You're gonna say you'll want me too, oh,_

_And when I ask you to be mi-i-i-ne,_

_You're gonna say you'll want me too._

_You want me too, you want me too…_

The crowd was really into it after that number finished. Soon after, though, the whole place would erupt with the final number, "Ichigo Complete," which was a song written and composed by all four members: Miu Matsuoka, Chika Itoh, Matsuri Sakuragi, and Ana Coppola. This was an anthem of youth coming of age, and the fact that strawberries and marshmallows would be dancing in their minds. All four members loved strawberries and marshmallows, and by consensus, this would be their band name. And this song that had more substance that any other song they would write together, was their trademark, and the ultimate symbol of their band: "Ichigo Complete." A light strum, and then…

_Kawaii nante sonnakoto, _

_Iccha dame desu!_

And then the fans started jumping up and down to the melody, waving their pink glow sticks in the air. The jumping was so loud, that the seismographs could pinpoint the epicenter to the song. They were really into the spirit of Strawberry Marshmallow. Naturallh, the band was unfazed by it. As the member with most class, Chika naturally began the honors.

_Fuwa fuwa ichigo tachi ga yatte kuru,  
Urusai koe ga chikazuitekuru!_

And then it was Miu's turn.

_Fuwa fuwa ichigo tachi ga yatte kuru,  
Amakute suppai kaori ga suru!_

Ana and Matsuri join in, and the four sung as one, with the crowd singing and chanting along.

_Chiguhagu na iro de iimon, rakugaki shichaou!  
Shippai mo atarimae dayone?  
Watashitachi wo yurushite agenasai!_

_Okoranaide ne okoranaide, suki ni sasete ne  
Otona ni wa wakannai suteki kiseki kanpeki (Hai!)  
Kawaii nante sonnakoto iccha dame desu!  
Totetsumonai egao mashimaro na onnanoko…_

_I C H I G O Girl! _

_Go Go Girl Ichigo Love!_

"How are you, Okinawa!" yelled Miu to the crowd, who roared back in approval. Now it was Matsuri's turn.

_Fuwa fuwa ichigo tachi ga waratteru,  
Pinku no hoppeta ga odoketeru!_

And then, Ana Coppola, the Angel of Cornwall, lended her voice.

_Fuwa fuwa ichigo tachi ga waratteru,  
Tanoshii koto bakari atsumeteru!_

Chika and Miu then joined in, and the four invited the audience to sing along, as they continued to jump like Ultras at a football match.

_Tokubetsu na koto ja nai mon, issho ni asobou!  
Taikutsu wo mudazukai sezu ni  
Zembu zembu aishite agenasai! _

_Kinishinaide ne kinishinaide, mimamottete ne  
Otokonoko wa shiranai hushigi mujaki dokidoki (HEY!)  
Kawaii nante sonnakoto wakatte imasu!  
Te wo tsunaide miyou mashimaro na otomodachi…_

That was the signal for Ana to go wild for a bit on her solo lead. As Nobue looked at the other part of her handcuffs, she saw that it was empty. Grandma was about to ride that raised platform again. Whatever, she thought. Just enjoy the show and let obaa-chan enjoy her few seconds of fame. Or infamy, depending on one's taste.

_Chiguhagu na iro de iimon, rakugaki shichaou!  
Shippai mo atarimae dayone?  
Watashitachi wo yurushite agenasai!_

Suddenly, Grandma appeared on the stage. "Koraa!" they yelled, pushing her out. The attendants would escort her back to her seat. And the four of them finished the number, inviting the crowd to sing and chant along as one.

_Okoranaide ne okoranaide, suki ni sasete ne  
Otona ni wa wakannai suteki kiseki kanpeki (Hai!)  
Kawaii nante sonnakoto iccha dame desu!  
Totetsumonai egao mashimaro na onnanoko…_

_I C H I G O Girl! _

_Go Go Girl Ichigo Love!_

_**I C H I G O Girl! **_

_**Go Go Girl Ichigo Love!**_

The crowd rose to its feet, applauding, shouting, whistling, and even throwing themselves down at the band members as the four of them bowed to the standing ovation. The concert was a success.

Later that evening, the band, dressed in their normal outfits, had to pick up their belongings from Busena, due to the early morning charter flight they were scheduled to take.

"All righty, awesome job guys," said Nobue. "We have everything, right? Ikimasho!" The bus, for the last time, drove then to Naha International Airport.

"But, big sister," Chika said, "Aren't we going to…?"

"No, we're not!" She anticipated that it was a question of getting some sleep before heading to the next concert.

"The people in Tokyo called me on my mobile a few minutes ago, and they told me it was best if we pushed straight to Honolulu?"

"Honolulu?" exclaimed the girls. "Now? But we can't make it…"

"Guys, you have a gig there at the Waikiki Shell in 37 hours time. You're going to be opening for Zackt."

"Mou, now look here, Nobue…" protested Miu.

"No, you look here Miu," interrupted Nobue. "I just have one thing to say to you, Ms. Miu Matsuoka."

"And what's that?" she asked with a smug expression.

With a smile, she said, "You're an A-cup."

At that moment, she exploded, "WHAT? Why are you calling me an A-cup? You Scrooge! Arrrrghh!"

"Come on, Miu, quit moping around. You're gonna be left behind," Chika said, gesturing with her hand, the other on her luggage.

"Yeah, the plane is leaving in two hours, and we're expected inside right now," said Matsuri.

"And it's a luxury jet too," Ana said. "And Zackt's sitting next to you."

With a grunt, and then a chuckle, Miu walked proudly with the others to the gate. She didn't know who this Zackt person was, but later on, she would know soon enough.

"Oh, and Grandma?" asked Nobue to her elder. "Get rid of those photos."

"As you wish, my esteemed, eldest granddaughter." With a sigh, she flung them into the air, and then left with the group to the plane.

The plane was another All Nippon Airways jet, and it was bigger than the previous one. The girls took their seats, and unconsciously fell asleep. All was silent on the island of Okinawa, but the jet, in a loud, prophetic roar that could be heard all over the island, flew off eastward for Hawaii. Those who were on the wings of love that evening only began to dream of a world full of young people, and happiness, and a future full of peace that was represented in the form of strawberries and marshmallows. This was their wish.

It was official. The Ichigo was complete.

* * *

THE END

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